Luongo Sparks Panthers

Florida’s Roberto Luongo made 38 saves and the Panthers scored quickly in the first two periods for a 2-1 victory over the Capitals on Monday at Washington.

Luongo recorded his 37th save on a shot by Peter Bondra after the Capitals had pulled goalie Craig Billington with 24 seconds remaining.

Luongo capped a brilliant evening by stopping another shot from Bondra with 14 seconds left.

Washington squandered four power-play shots--including two from directly in front of a fallen Luongo--midway through the third period after Florida’s Bill Lindsay drew an unusual unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on a faceoff for twice swiping at Jaromir Jagr’s leg.

It took only 1:06 for Ivan Novoseltsev, who was unchecked in front of the net, to score on the Panthers’ second shot of the game off a feed from behind the net by Niklas Hagman.

The Panthers, who made the most of 18 shots, exploited the Capitals’ banged-up defense again early in the second period when Pavel Bure took a cross-ice pass from Jason Wiemer and beat Billington for a 2-1 lead at 1:28.

*

Ottawa 4, Toronto 3--Defensemen Karel Rachunek and Wade Redden each had two points at Ottawa as the Senators ended Toronto’s three-game winning streak.

Ottawa got goals from Andre Roy, Mike Fisher, Marian Hossa and Rachunek despite directing only 16 shots at Curtis Joseph.

Gary Roberts and Alexander Mogilny each had three points for the Maple Leafs, who have lost eight of their last nine regular-season games against the Senators.

*

The Pittsburgh Penguins must wait a little longer for Mario Lemieux’s latest comeback.

Lemieux, who said last week he was planning to return tonight against Boston, isn’t expected back until a Saturday home game against St. Louis.

Lemieux said Monday there is no problem with the surgically repaired hip that has sidelined him for the last 22 games, but he still isn’t where he wants to be in his conditioning.

*

The Florida Panthers traded defenseman Dan Boyle to the Tampa Bay Lightning for a fifth-round draft pick in 2003. The Panthers also recalled center Matt Herr from Hershey of the American Hockey League.... New York Islander forward Steve Webb will have surgery today for a broken hand and is expected to be out from six to eight weeks.