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Weiss' shootout goal lifts Panthers to third straight win

Dec 13, 2008 - 6:33 AM CALGARY, Alberta (Ticker) -- Stephen Weiss scored the lone goal of the shootout after Tomas Vokoun stopped all three shooters as the Florida Panthers posted their third straight win Friday, a 3-2 triumph over the Calgary Flames.

Vokoun made 35 saves before the bonus format and Kamil Kreps netted a shorthanded goal and set up defenseman Jay Bouwmeester's tally for the Panthers, who improved to 7-1-2 over their last 10 games.

"It feels pretty good to win games," Weiss said. "It doesn't matter who gets the goals as long as we're winning games. We've got 20 guys and both goalies and all the coaches.

"It's been a true team effort over the past few weeks. We need to keep this thing going and get ourselves out of the hole we've created."

Rene Bourque netted both goals and Miikka Kiprusoff turned aside 27 shots for the Flames, who have lost three in a row.

"It was kind of a sloppy game," Bourque said. "I got lucky on the first one, and Glenny (left wing Curtis Glencross) made a nice play on my second goal, an unbelievable pass. The goalie wasn't even ready for it.

"We had our chances in overtime and at the end of the third, and we just didn't capitalize in the shootout. That was the difference."

After Vokoun turned away Mike Cammalleri, Bourque and captain Jarome Iginla in the shootout, Weiss managed to find an opening between the pads of Kiprusoff and lift Florida to its second shootout win in four chances this season.

"I was thinking not to lose the puck," Weiss said. "The ice wasn't very good tonight. I decided halfway down I was going to try it."

"Three game-winners in a row. That's the Stephen Weiss I know," Florida coach Peter DeBoer said. "I saw that kind of character when I had him in junior with Plymouth. He's just delivering what I know he's capable of delivering."

The Panthers are enjoying their current five-game road trip, having won the first three contests with stops in Vancouver and Carolina still remaining.

Weiss' heroics were due in large part to Vokoun's performance. After Bourque's second goal of the night tied the contest at 2-2 at 3:12 of the second period, Vokoun was sensational.

"Credit to the guys in the room. It started with Tomas Vokoun tonight," DeBoer said. "I thought he was outstanding for us. He's faced a little bit of adversity the way (Craig) Anderson's been playing. He hasn't played in a while.

"It's not an easy spot I stuck him in tonight, and he played great. I think the guys kind of fed off his energy."

The 32-year-old Czech, who had not won since November 24, made 19 of his saves in the third session and overtime to preserve the tie. He did receive some help in the first round of the bonus format, when Cammalleri's attempt hit the goalpost.

Bourque opened the scoring with 3:03 left in the first period, but Kreps tied the game with the first shorthanded goal of his career less than two minutes later.

Florida took a 2-1 edge on Bouwmeester's goal at 1:45 of the second, but Bourque answered shortly thereafter with his 10th tally of the campaign.