WASHINGTON (AP) -- Jaromir Jagr backed up his selection to the

Eastern Conference's starting lineup in the NHL All-Star game in a

big way Saturday night.

Jaromir Jagr is very intrigued by the prospect of playing for the Rangers.

Jagr had three goals and four assists to match his career high

with seven points as the Washington Capitals beat the Florida

Panthers 12-2 on Saturday night.

Jagr had his first multi-goal game of the season and his 10th

career hat trick, his first since March 10, 2001, with Pittsburgh.

His other seven-point game was Dec. 30, 1999, for the Penguins

against the New York Islanders.

"It's just one night, just one game," said Jagr, downplaying

his achievement.

Selected as a starter for the Eastern Conference earlier in the

day, Jagr tied the Capitals' record for points set by Dino

Ciccarelli on March 18, 1989, against Hartford.

Jagr, who hinted he was only going to the Feb. 2 game in

Sunrise, Fla., because the fans voted him in, put on a vintage

offensive performance reminiscent of the player who has led the

league in scoring five times.

"It was a little like an All-Star game -- lots of goals and lots

of nice plays," said Jagr, who hadn't scored a goal since Dec. 30.

"But don't get used to it."

Jagr sat out most of the third period, missing a chance to pick

up his eighth point of the night.

"That's honorable," Capitals coach Bruce Cassidy said. "Good

for him for not putting personal goals ahead of the team."

Kip Miller had a career-best four assists for the Capitals, who

equaled the franchise record for goals in a game set in a 12-2

victory over Quebec on Feb. 6, 1990.

Peter Bondra and Dainius Zubrus each had two goals and Robert

Lang, Sergei Gonchar, Steve Konowalchuk, Michael Nylander and Jason

Doig also scored for Washington, which has gained at least one

point in its last 12 games, going 7-0-3-2.

Olli Jokinen and Marcus Neilson scored for Florida, which

matched the franchise mark for goals allowed set April 10, 1999, in

a 9-1 loss at Toronto.

"Well, it's what you call a good old shellacking, isn't it?"

Panthers coach Mike Keenan said. "I think it's so off the chart

that you pack your bags and let's leave in half an hour and go on

to the next city."

Washington's power play, in a 5-for-55 slump entering the game,

opened the scoring 1:43 into the first period when Lang poked

Jagr's rebound past Jani Hurme for his 11th goal.

"When (Jagr) gets going early, gets rewarded and gets some

points, those seem to be the games where he has a little more

juice," Cassidy said.

Later in the period, the Capitals scored three times in a span

of four shots to make it 4-0.

At 7:25, Jagr scored off a rebound, his first goal since Dec.

30. Jagr stole the puck from Sandis Ozolinsh behind the net and fed

Gonchar, who scored on the doorstep with 5:35 left.

Another Florida turnover helped the Capitals make it 4-0 with

3:55 to go. Bondra took the puck from Jamie Rivers behind the net

and flung it in front, where Zubrus knocked it in.

Seventeen seconds into the second period, Konowalchuk scored his

11th goal, knocking out Hurme in favor of Roberto Luongo.

Luongo fared no better, allowing Jagr's second goal of the game

at 8:49. Jagr completed his hat trick on a slap shot from the right

circle at 10:39 for his team-best 21st goal.

Jagr then picked up an assist on Nylander's 11th goal at 13:32

and fed Doig at 16:15 for his first goal since his first NHL game

on Oct. 7, 1995. The Capitals' five-goal second period was their

best offensive period of the season.

Hurme returned to start the third period and Florida averted a

shutout on Jokinen's unassisted goal with 16:01 left. Bondra then

scored twice in a 1:41 span to make it 11-1.

Game notes



Thirteen of the Panthers' 15 January games are against

teams that made the playoffs last season. The lone exceptions were

Saturday's game and a Jan. 18 home contest against Pittsburgh. ...

Capitals D Calle Johansson left in the first period because of a

sore back. ... Florida assigned LW Stephane Matteau to San Antonio

of the AHL. ... The Capitals' nine straight goals tied a record set

in a 10-1 victory over Tampa Bay on Feb. 3, 1999. ... Washington

defensemen Ken Klee and Gonchar were both plus-7.