Pavel Bure led the NHL with 58 goals this season. And he celebrated each one with unmatched emotion 

The Right Arm Pump is the image of the most successful individual regular season in the Panthers' seven-season history. And, because that individual season led to the team's most successful regular season (Florida faces New Jersey in the first round of the playoffs starting Thursday), the Pump should be the season's symbol overall.

The Right Arm Pump is Pavel Bure's usual celebration of his goals, usually accompanied by a scream. The picture of such an emotional release, seeming to come from the soul, says more about Bure than he'll say about himself.

``It's not just me. I think everybody likes to score,'' Bure said.

Yeah, but few show such enthusiasm and talent for the project. Forget that act-like-you've-been-there-before silliness -- nobody scored more goals this season than Bure's 58 and nobody gloried more in every single goal.

``I've never seen anybody celebrate a goal the way Pavel does, whether it's an empty-netter or a game-winner with two minutes left,'' said Panthers coach Terry Murray, who has been an NHL player, coach, assistant or scout for all but a few of the past 30 years.

``He's very different,'' Murray said. ``I, personally, have never seen such a burst of emotion with the intensity and having the expressions. We, as a team, love to see it. I think the fans here and around the league love the emotion and celebration.''

Of course, getting Bure to discuss such things about himself is akin to fishing on a sidewalk. Though a smart, thoughtful man with more common sense than is common, Bure is rarely forthcoming about himself.

``Obviously, I do like to score,'' Bure said. ``That's my job, to score goals. That's the point of hockey, if you score more goals than the other team, you're going to win. That's why you have a team. Somebody can play defense, somebody can score goals.''

Bure wants the fans involved, wants them to respond to him, good or bad. He loved the advertising campaign in Vancouver before what was to be his first game there since being traded to the Panthers -- ``Love him. Hate him. Just don't miss him.''

Bure's reaction to scoring is a climax, an explosion, which fits this season's Panthers.

The 1995-96 team was actually better offensively, 3.09 goals per game to 2.97. But, just as there are better all-around offensive players than Bure, yet none more explosive. This year's Panthers were nitroglycerin compared to past Panthers teams.

When the Panthers broke their first of 11 franchise records this season by running off three third-period goals in 1:17 to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 victory in the season's second game (Right Arm Pump on the empty-net goal), it was a sign.

The Panthers scored goals within three minutes of each other in 24 different games. They broke the franchise record for fastest three goals in the season's second game. They rang up five goals in a period on Phoenix to tie a team record, and six goals in a period on Boston to break it later.

The most combustible Panther was Bure. Against Phoenix and Tampa Bay each, Bure blew up the stage with third-period hat tricks. Half of Bure's 58 goals came in the third period.

Bure also scored 16 first-period goals and 15 times had the first goal of the game.

``When you have Pavel Bure in the lineup, you have the belief that you can win the game,'' Murray said. ``When he goes out and scores the first goal of the game, it just reinforces that. There's a feeling of `this is a game we can have now. Everybody do their job and continue what he's started.' ''

But it's the third period when Bure finds his groove, especially if the game is tied or the Panthers are ahead and it's time to slay the bull. Bure shrugs off normal losses quicker than most, but he takes to competition with alacrity, even in practice.

``He keeps stats on breakaways with the goalies in practice and puts them up on the board to taunt them,'' Panthers left wing Ray Whitney said earlier this year. ``I've never been around a guy who wants to score so much.''

Bure has said that wanting to score on every shot, even in practice, is what helps make a dependable goal scorer in actual games.

``Everything is a challenge between Pavel and a goaltender, especially with Kidder [goalie Trevor Kidd],'' Murray said. ``I think they count the saves and goals as practice goes along, during drills and then afterward when doing breakaways. It's pretty serious.''

The Panthers might have the only practice that needs a video review judge. Last week, Bure came in on Kidd, made a nice move and scored . . . or Kidd knocked the puck away before it went over the line.

Bure threw his arms in the air. Kidd argued no goal. Bure argued and shook his head that the save wasn't made. Assistant coach Billy Smith, a similar competitor in his day, laughed as Bure tried to appeal to two people sitting in the stands at that end of the rink.

A post-morning skate ``five minutes to bus'' notification hit Bure's ears as he and goalie Mikhail Shtalenkov began another round of five breakaways. Everybody watching knew, bus or no, this wasn't ending until Bure had gained the upper hand.

``It seems to make his day for the rest of the day if he can get that last goal,'' Murray said.

One world-class soccer player said he felt as if he needed to score goals to live. Bure was asked if he could identify with that sentiment at all.

``No,'' Bure said. ``Hockey's a really big part of my life. But it's not everything. I have family, I have friends. It's my work and work which I love to do.''