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  Thursday, Dec. 30 7:30pm ET
Jagr shows Isles his scoring muscle
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Jaromir Jagr again demonstrated why he is the most dominant offensive player in the NHL.

Jagr had a career-high seven points, scoring three goals and assisting on four others as the Pittsburgh Penguins routed the New York Islanders 9-3 on Thursday night.

Steve Webb
The Islanders' Steve Webb gets an unexpected view of the puck as he fends off Tyler Wright on Thursday night.
"It's a scary thing what he's doing," teammate Kip Miller said.

Jagr, who leads the NHL with 31 goals and 66 points in 35 games, broke his career points mark of six -- one goal and five assists -- set in an 11-5 victory over Philadelphia in 1993.

"It was a wide-open game and we had the lead right away so we didn't have to battle much," Jagr said. "We had a two-goal lead, three-goal lead all the game. When we get the lead, the other team has to open up and that's helped me a lot."

Jagr said he had no indication before the game that he would have such a performance.

"I felt so bad during warmups, I left after five minutes," Jagr said. "I was so tired I didn't want to skate around any more. I usually stay for 15 or 20 minutes, but I left after five minutes. Sometimes it helps."

Jagr missed a shot at another point when Miller had the puck roll off his stick on a breakaway that Jagr set up.

"If I get that breakaway, he has eight points," Miller said. "That's what I'm mad about."

Jagr's seven points were one short of the club record held by Mario Lemieux. Jagr joked that he was glad he didn't tie Lemieux, the team owner.

"I need a paycheck," Jagr joked.

The Czech star completed his sixth career hat trick and second of the season at 14:48 of the third period. The Penguins had extended power-play time after New York's Gino Odjick was given a major penalty for punching Darius Kasparaitis.

Pittsburgh, coming off a 3-2 overtime loss in Washington on Wednesday night, scored five-power play goals after converting just two of their previous 32 chances.

The Penguins won for the fourth time in five games.

Islanders rookie Roberto Luongo, who made 34 saves to earn his first NHL shutout against Boston on Monday night, allowed four goals in the first period.

"There's nothing you can do about it now," Luongo said. "It's just one of those nights. It's not always going to go your way and tonight proves it. They did what they wanted to do. They dominated us."

Luongo played the entire game.

"I didn't think he had any help," Islanders coach Butch Goring said. "It's tough to lay the blame on anybody when you're out of the game before it hardly even started."

Penguins rookie defenseman Hans Jonsson scored his first NHL goal, and Tyler Wright, who had gone 100 games without a goal, got his third in four games.

Jagr opened the scoring at 3:55 when he whipped Jan Hrdina's pass from the boards over Luongo's glove. Wright got behind defenseman Jorgen Jonsson to beat Luongo at 8:15.

Hans Jonsson one-timed German Titov's pass, and Alexei Kovalev was credited with a goal when his shot went in off Islanders defenseman Zdeno Chara's stick.

Jagr scored his second goal on a power play in the third period, converting Robert Lang's pass from behind the net. Earlier in the period, Jagr's set up Lang's 13th goal.

Marius Czerkawski scored twice in the first period for the Islanders to raise his season total to 14. Brad Isbister also scored for New York.

Miller had the only goal of the second period. He held the puck until Luongo committed, then tucked it behind the sprawling goalie. Martin Sonnenberg also scored on the extended power play in the third period.

The Penguins had their biggest outburst since they beat Winnipeg 9-4 in 1996.

 


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NY Islanders Clubhouse

Pittsburgh Clubhouse


Jagr could be first million-vote All-Star


RECAPS
Ottawa 5
Boston 4

Pittsburgh 9
NY Islanders 3

Nashville 6
Atlanta 0

St. Louis 2
San Jose 1

Chicago 2
Florida 1

Los Angeles 8
Edmonton 2