Sunrise, FL (My Sportsbook) - Olli Jokinen recorded his first career hat trick as the Florida Panthers rolled over the Pittsburgh Penguins, 6-3, at Bank Atlantic Center, ending a 12-game losing streak.

Gary Roberts and Stephen Weiss each scored a goal and registered an assist in the Florida victory. Chris Gratton chipped in with two assists for Florida, which avoided tying a franchise record of 13 consecutive losses.

Roberto Luongo made 36 saves in the victory, giving Florida 11 straight wins against Pittsburgh.

Zigmund Palffy scored a goal and had two assists for the Penguins, who haven't beat Florida since March 5, 2002 in Pittsburgh. Erik Christensen netted a goal and an assist in defeat.

Sebastien Caron allowed three goals on seven shots before being replaced by Jocelyn Thibault in the first period. Thibault finished the game with 36 stops.

Florida stormed out of the gates scoring two goals in the game's opening three minutes.

Kristian Huselius scored his fifth of the season off a lucky bounce. Lukas Krajicek blasted a shot from the point that missed the net but bounced right off the boards to the right of the goal and onto the tape of Huselius' stick, and he easily put the puck past Caron for the 1-0 lead at 1:56.

Jokinen gave the Panthers a 2-0 edge about a minute later after he skated into the zone and unleashed a heavy slap shot from just inside the blue line that beat Caron stick side.

The Penguins made it a 2-1 game after Palffy backhanded a one-timer pass from Christensen past Luongo at 8:11.

Seventeen seconds later, Florida responded with Roberts taking a feed in the slot from Gratton and ripping a wrister past Caron for the 3-1 lead.

That goal sent Caron to the showers early, as he was replaced by Thibault.

Jokinen netted a shorthanded goal beating Thibault top shelf after breaking behind the Pittsburgh defense at 13:34 giving the Panthers a 4-1 advantage.

Just 48 seconds into the second stanza, Sidney Crosby scored his 12th goal of the season to make the score 4-2. Crosby took a pass from Palffy and from right outside the crease and he beat Luongo top shelf.

The Penguins made it a 4-3 game after Christensen skated towards the net and faked a pass to Crosby on the left, which got Luongo leaning. Christensen shot the puck past him at the 8:00 mark.

Jokinen would net his third goal of the game for the hat trick to give the Panthers a 5-3 lead at 10:56. On a 2-on-1 rush, Gratton skated up the left boards and hit Jokinen in the slot where he one-timed the puck past the sliding Thibault.

Weiss made it a 6-3 game at 12:56 of the second, scoring his first career goal against the Penguins.

Game Notes

The Panthers defeated the Penguins 4-3 in OT on October 25...Panthers center Gregory Campbell picked up his first career NHL assist...Florida improved to 5-4-1 on home ice this season...Pittsburgh is 4-5-3 on the road...Crosby blocked a shot early in third period with his skate and went to the locker room, but returned to action minutes later.