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Jokinen, Panthers face Maple Leafs

Oct 18, 2007 - 7:54 PM Florida (3-3-0) at Toronto (2-3-2) 7:30 pm EDT

TORONTO (Ticker) - Olli Jokinen will set one franchise record when he puts his skate on the ice Thursday, but he is closing in one some other mark as well.

Jokinen will look to have a historic night as Florida Panthers go for their fourth straight victory when they face the Toronto Maple Leafs.

At the drop of the puck, the Finnish center will break Robert Svehla's consecutive games played record of 300. However, Jokinen is looking to take down a few more team records that will cause more of a celebration.

He is currently tied with current-Atlanta Thrashers right wing Scott Mellanby with 354 points. Mellanby spent 7 1/2 seasons with the Panthers from 1993-2001.

Already the team's all-time leader with 31 game-winning goals, Jokinen's 156 tallies is just one shy of Mellanby's other significant franchise mark. A first-round pick - third overall - by the Los Angeles Kings, Jokinen also has Robert Svehla's assist record in sight. Svehla had 229 assists, while Jokinen has 198.

It has been Tomas Vokoun, however, who has carried Florida to its recent success. Vokoun was a major factor in Tuesday's shootout win over the Montreal Canadiens, making 36 saves after allowing a goal in the first three minutes.

The 31-year-old Czech has been stingy in his last three starts, posting a 1.63 goals-against average in the trio of wins. Also helping Florida is right winger Nathan Horton, who has registered goals in three straight games.

"It's a team sport and sometimes you help your team, and sometimes your team helps you," Vokoun said.

The third-year netminder replaced Craig Anderson, who was 0-2 in the Panthers' first two games. Vokoun is 2-1-0 with a 2.01 GAA in his career against Toronto

The Maple Leafs are try to avoid their first three-game slide this season. Toronto gave up four third-period goals and then the winner with 3.7 seconds left in overtime of a 5-4 defeat to Northeast Division-rival Buffalo on Monday.

It was the second straight game the Maple Leafs have allowed a lead to disappear. Last Saturday, Toronto dropped a 6-4 decision to Pittsburgh after leading by two goals.

A main reason for the back-to-back collapses has been shaky goaltending by Andrew Raycroft and Vesa Toskala, who have combined to give up an Eastern Conference-high 29 goals.

Raycroft has been beaten for nine goals in his two overtime losses this season, while Toskala has surrendered 12 goals in losing his last two starts.