Jagr wants to play next season, says Panthers must learn from crushing loss

With 60 seconds left to play in Sunday's Game 6, the Florida Panthers were up 1-0, and it appeared there would be a Game 7 against the New York Islanders. Then John Tavares happened.

The New York captain put his team on his back, tying the game with 53 seconds to go before winning it - and the series - in double overtime. After the game, 44-year-old Jaromir Jagr admitted he thought it was going to be a happy flight back home.

"It was close. I thought we got it, we were so close to score on the empty net," Jagr said, according to the Sun Sentinel's Harvey Fialkov. "Maybe this is what this team needs to move higher next year. Of course, I thought we had it in the bag, it's going to be Game 7 and it just (didn't happen).

"It's frustrating. You have a choice, fight or score or give up. I fight til the end. Most of the games we had a lead, we just couldn't close it. You can learn from that."

Jagr's maintained throughout the season he isn't done playing hockey, and he'll let us know when he is. He continued in that vein Sunday.

"If I come back I know I have to be ready, have to practice differently, you always could learn. I want to play that's for sure, I'm going to be more ready."

In Jagr's world, there are no defeats. Only lessons. We could all learn a thing or two from the veteran.