SUNRISE, Florida (Ticker) -- The Florida Panthers began to restore some pride at the Office Depot Center.
Valeri Bure scored two goals and assisted on the go-ahead tally early in the third period as the Panthers snapped a four-game home losing streak with a 6-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Bure opened the scoring 52 seconds into the contest, notching his first goal in 39 games since November 9, 2002.
"I think we came out very strong as a team and played well in the first period, and that's kind of what we wanted to establish," said Bure, who missed the first 11 games due to a groin injury. "As a group, we wanted to make it hard on the other team that comes into our building. We wanted to come out strong and put the pressure on them, and that's what exactly happened tonight."
Niklas Hagman gave Florida a 2-0 lead with 2:56 to go in a first period in which the Panthers outshot the Penguins, 18-3. They finished with a season-high 46 shots.
"Well, we're going to continue to preach shooting because that's what you have to do in the NHL against goaltending that you see night after night that's so exceptional," Panthers coach Mike Keenan said. "It's the shot mentality. Even with the great goalies, sometimes you can handcuff them with the quick release. That was very important for us."
Penguins coach Eddie Olczyk wasn't buying the shots on goal statistic.
"I do not think that they had that many shots on goal," said Olczyk, who played under Keenan in 1994 with the New York Rangers. "I know exactly the (stuff) that he pulls. I'm just telling you that before you ask about the shots on goal. I've seen it, I've been a part of it. They did not have that many shots on goal."
Pittsburgh answered with three straight goals, including the first two this season by Milan Kraft, and took a 3-2 lead early in the third period.
But Stephen Weiss, who was recalled from the minors on Thursday, tied it at 5:03 and Bure put the Panthers ahead for good a little more than eight minutes later. Weiss made a perfect pass off the right boards to Bure, who one-timed it from the top of the crease.
"I think that pure goal-scorers want to try to freeze a goalie, particularly a goalie that's as instinctive as this one is," Keenan said. "So (Weiss) fed it to Val for the empty net."
Defenseman Mike Van Ryan added his fifth goal of the season on the power play and Olli Jokinen capped the scoring into an empty net with four seconds remaining. It was the first time the Panthers scored more than three goals in a game this season.
"It was a big offensive lift for the hockey club when you come back," Keenan said. "We came out of camp well-equipped with offense, but we suffered some terrible injuries - Matt's (Cullen) and Valeri's was a big injury as well. He was a huge contributor tonight. Stephen was that missing link or that missing piece."
Roberto Luongo made 18 saves for Florida, which posted its first win at the Office Depot Center since the season opener. But the Panthers are just 3-15-3-1 at home since January 25.
"I'm going to be selfish and forgive our players a game like this," Keenan said. "They've been working hard. I mean, we've lost three of the four games by one goal. We stayed more disciplined tonight and our players responded to a tough situation."
Rookie Marc-Andre Fleury turned aside 40 shots and Rico Fata scored his seventh goal, but the Penguins - again playing without injured captain and owner Mario Lemieux - were outshot for the 12th time in as many games.
Lemieux suffered a hip injury in Saturday's overtime win against Buffalo and has missed the last two games.
"We should feel embarrassed the way we came out to play tonight," Pittsburgh defenseman Marc Bergevin said. "We have Fleury, who works his butt off every night to keep us in the game and we laid him out to dry. We battled back and showed some character, but obviously, we have to come ready to play."
The Penguins continue to be slow at the start, giving up the first goal for the ninth time in 12 games.
"We played hard and we gave up 18 shots in the first period, it's tough," said center Martin Straka, who had two assists. "We've got to get going in the first 20 minutes, be desperate and ready for the game."
