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PITTSBURGH -- Jussi Jokinen enjoyed his four-plus seasons in Carolina and understood when the rebuilding Hurricanes sent him to Pittsburgh last spring as part of a salary dump. Imagine the damage he might have done on Tuesday night if he was angry. Jokinen poured in three goals for his first hat trick in nearly six years and the Penguins remained unbeaten with a 5-2 win. "Theres always extra motivation when you play against your former team," Jokinen said. "I could have had five goals tonight. I hit the post and the crossbar too." Not quite, but his hat trick was more than enough to push the Penguins to their best start since the 1994-95 team won its first seven games. "Its so much fun," Jokinen said. "Im just trying to enjoy every moment and work. Im working hard in practice and games. Playing with (Evgeni Malkin) helps too, we have great chemistry." It shows. Less than two minutes after Carolinas Nathan Gerbe tied the game at 2-all 3:13 into the third period, Jokinen put Pittsburgh in front to stay when he streaked down the left wing, took a pass from Malkin and threaded a wrist shot over the shoulder of Carolina goaltender Cam Ward. Ward responded with a flurry of brilliant saves during extended pressure by Pittsburgh star Sidney Crosbys line. Any momentum Wards gymnastics provided didnt last. Seconds after belly flopping to stop Pascal Dupuis on the doorstep, Ward failed to cover a loose puck off a face-off and Tanner Glass pounced on it to make it 4-2. Jokinen then finished off the Hurricanes with his second power-play goal of the night and first hat trick since he scored four for the Dallas Stars on Nov. 16, 2007. "Pittsburghs a good hockey team and theyre going to keep coming and they pressed and they didnt capitalize there, but they stayed with it and get that goal," Carolina coach Kirk Muller said. "We would have liked to have used it to our advantage, not theirs, so it kind of backfired unfortunately." Paul Martin also scored for Pittsburgh, while Crosby picked up his first two assists of the season. Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 32 shots for the Penguins, who have not trailed through three games. Pittsburgh has outscored opponents 12-3 heading into a two-game road-swing through Florida starting Friday. "I think for us the biggest thing is our defensive play," Glass said. "Were able to shut teams down and not give them too much." Eric Staal also scored for the Hurricanes and Cam Ward made 32 saves, but Carolina crumbled in the final 15 minutes. "Everybody needed to be stronger tonight than they were," Staal said. "We gave too much space for some of their skill players. You dont want to give time. You give time theyve got players who can make plays and they did that." The Penguins brought in Jokinen last March, hoping the talented winger would help them lift the Stanley Cup. The Hurricanes even agreed to pay $900,000 of the $3 million Jokinen is due this year just to get him out of town. While Jokinen and Pittsburgh failed to win a championship, he showed an ability to blend in with Penguins stars Crosby and Evgeni Malkin and now has 10 goals in in 13 regular-season games since the trade. "Hes got an ability to play off players and read off them and it showed," Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma said. "He was excellent." The Penguins came in 0 for 3 on the season on the power play before breaking through 14:17 into the first period. With Carolinas Jay Harrison off for tripping, Pittsburgh took the lead when Crosby tried a centring pass that deflected off Staal and right to Jokinen, who collected the puck with his skate and kicked it to his stick. His backhand shot slid past Ward and put the Penguins in front. Pittsburgh made it 2-0 1:04 into the second when a sliding Martin took a Brooks Orpik shot off the end boards and threw it by a badly out of position Ward. Staal sliced the lead in half with an acrobatic deflection in which he managed to get his stick on Justin Faulks pass despite getting checked to the ice by Orpik. Carolinas surge pulled them even early in the third on Gerbes goal but the Hurricanes couldnt sustain it. NOTES: Penguins F James Neal missed his second straight game with an undisclosed injury. Neal aggravated a pre-existing problem during Pittsburghs season opener against New Jersey last week. Bylsma said Neal is more "week to week" than "day to day." ... Carolina plays at Washington on Thursday in the franchises 1,200th game since relocating from Hartford in 1997. Cheap Nike Shoes Australia Online . After making his All-Star debut in Fridays Rising Stars Challenge, the Raptors sophomore centre wont be sticking around for the duration of the weekends festivities, thinking about the big picture instead. Cheap Nike Shoes Australia . According to TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger, the New York Rangers winger skated with extras and goalies today. http://www.cheapshoesaustralianike.com/ . His actions are much louder on the Fenway Park mound. De La Rosa had another strong home start, going seven solid innings to lift the Boston Red Sox to a 2-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday night. Nike Shoes Clearance Australia . Coaches are now allowed to challenge both called and potential defensive pass interference fouls under certain conditions. Cheap Nike Shoes Australia Outlet Shop . -- Billy Donovans bench came up big, bailing out top-seeded Florida in a tight game against what was supposed to be an overmatched opponent. The Detroit Lions achieved one of their top goals this off-season, retaining Joique Bell, and took a step toward another one, setting up a meeting with Golden Tate. The Lions and Bell agreed to a $9.3 million, three-year contract, according to a person familiar with the negotiations. The person, who said $4.3 million of the contract is guaranteed, spoke Tuesday to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced. Detroit is also determined to add a player to complement wide receiver Calvin Johnson. Tate appears to be a good fit. The free agent wide receiver will meet with the Lions, according to a person familiar with the situation. The person, who said Tate was travelling to Detroit on Tuesday night, spoke to AP on condition of anonymity because the visit had not been announced. Tate led the Seattle Seahawks with 64 catches and 898 yards receiving last season, setting career highs in both categories. The former Notre Dame star also scored five touchdowns last season, giving him 15 in his four-year career. "I definitely do not want to play against Seattle, Ill tell you that," Tate said in February after Seattles Super Bowl parade. "I dont want to play against Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor for sure, but well see. Only time will tell. I think I set myself up regardless if its here -- hopefully its here -- or elsewhere with the way I play the game." Detroit also agreed to a one-year deal with wide receiver Kevin Ogletree, according to another person familiar with negotiations, speaking to AP on condition of anonymity because the deal hadnt been announced. The Lions really wanted Bell back, and can probably find a spot on the roster for Ogletree. Bell had a team-high eight touchdowns rushing last season. He was second to Reggiie Bush with 166 carries for 650 yards rushing for the Lions last year.dddddddddddd Bell ranked third on the team in each of the last two seasons in Detroit with a combined 105 receptions for 1,032 yards. While Bush gives Detroit a speedy and shifty threat out of the backfield, the 5-foot-11, 220-pound Bell provides much-needed power. He has run for 1,064 yards -- 4.3 yards per carry -- and 11 TDs in two seasons with the Lions. The undrafted free agent from Wayne State University in Detroit played a total of eight games as a rookie in 2010 with the Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles. Bell won the Harlon Hill Trophy as the NCAA Division II Player of the Year after rushing for 2,084 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2009. Eventually, Bell proved he could make the jump to the NFL. The Benton Harbor, Mich., native has found a home with the Lions, who signed him off New Orleans practice squad late in the 2011 season after he bounced around with the Saints, Eagles, Colts and Bills. Ogletree can potentially help Detroit because Nate Burleson was released and Ryan Broyles has struggled to stay healthy. He had 13 receptions for 199 yards and a touchdown in 12 games last season for the Lions, who signed him after Tampa Bay cut him. Ogletree has 78 career receptions for 999 yards and six touchdowns over five seasons, four of which were with the Dallas Cowboys. In free agency or the draft, the Lions are hoping to add a No. 2 receiver -- perhaps Tate -- and a safety to start alongside Glover Quin to replace Burleson and Louis Delmas, both of whom were released this off-season. Delmas has signed with the Miami Dolphins. The Lions would also like to sign Ndamukong Suh to a new contract to avoid having the defensive tackle count more than $20 million against the salary cap this year. ' ' '