The Florida Panthers delivered a commanding performance on Saturday night, rolling past the NHL-leading Winnipeg Jets with a 5-0 victory at home. Sergei Bobrovsky was stellar in goal, stopping all 27 shots for his 45th career shutout, as the Panthers snapped a two-game losing streak in emphatic fashion.
Captain Aleksander Barkov led the charge with a short-handed goal and two assists, while Sam Reinhart tallied three assists, extending his point streak to 10 games. Mackie Samoskevich, Evan Rodrigues, Nate Schmidt, and Dmitry Kulikov also scored for the Atlantic Division leaders, who became the first team this season to take a five-goal lead on the Jets.
Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck entered the game with an NHL-best 1.92 goals-against average, but the Panthers broke through for five goals on 31 shots, raising his GAA to 2.14. It was only the second loss of the season for Hellebuyck, who had been 12-1-0 in his previous 13 starts.
Despite the lopsided loss, Winnipeg’s 15-3-0 start remains the best in franchise history since the team’s return in 2011. No Jets team had previously won more than 11 of its first 18 games. The Jets are 0-2-0 on their Florida road trip, having also lost to Tampa Bay on Thursday, but they’ll look to bounce back with a rematch against the Panthers in Winnipeg on Tuesday.
Rookie Mackie Samoskevich returned to the lineup after being a healthy scratch on Thursday and wasted no time making an impact, scoring the game’s opening goal. It was his third goal in his last seven games, solidifying his role as a key contributor for the Panthers.
Midway through the second period, with Florida leading 2-0, Bobrovsky made a critical save on Mark Scheifele’s backhand attempt to preserve the lead. Moments later, Rodrigues and Barkov scored to blow the game wide open and secure the Panthers’ dominance.
The Panthers already have five short-handed goals this season through 18 games. By comparison, they managed only eight short-handed goals across 82 games last season.
The Panthers and Jets will face off again on Tuesday night in Winnipeg, where the Jets will seek revenge and an opportunity to reclaim momentum after a tough Florida trip.
For now, the Panthers’ resounding win against one of the NHL’s top teams underscores their strength in the Atlantic Division and serves as a statement of their aspirations this season.
Player Highlights
•Sergei Bobrovsky: 27 saves for his 45th career shutout.
•Aleksander Barkov: One goal, two assists, including a short-handed tally.
•Sam Reinhart: Three assists, marking his fourth three-point game of the season.
•Mackie Samoskevich: Third goal in his last seven games.
