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Bouwmeester, Panthers look to top lowly Thrashers

Jan 10, 2009 - 11:44 AM Atlanta (14-23-5) at Florida (19-16-6) 1:00 p.m. EST

SUNRISE, Florida (Ticker) -- Defenseman Jay Bouwmeester is the Florida Panthers' lone All-Star representative. That doesn't mean the team is lacking in productive players.

The Panthers will be looking to show off their star power when they face the lowly Atlanta Thrashers on Saturday.

Center Stephen Weiss leads the team with 27 points and left wing David Booth sets the pace for the team with 17 goals, but a crowded field of forwards in the Eastern Conference kept both off the All-Star squad.

The goaltending tandem of Tomas Vokoun and Craig Anderson has also been a key to Florida's success, with the tandem combining for a 2.58 goals-against average and six shutouts.

Vokoun has been in net during the last two games, a pair of 4-2 wins. Bouwmeester and Booth each tallied and Weiss recorded an assist as Vokoun made 31 saves in Thursday's win over the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Thrashers will send send Ilya Kovalchuk and his team-leading 42 points to the All-Star Game. The Russian left wing recorded a goal and an assist in Atlanta's 4-0 win at New Jersey on Thursday, snapping a two-game slide.

The teams have split a pair of meetings, with Kovalchuk tallying twice in the most recent game, a 5-3 Thrashers win on November 2.