Tarasov the Under: Panthers Beat Jets in a Shootout

There was not a lot of offense in Thursday’s game between the Panthers and Jets in Winnipeg.

Not with the way goalies Daniil Tarasov and Connor Hellebuyck were turning back pucks.

Not that there were many shots on goal, but the goalies were both certainly strong.

It took a shootout to decide this one, the Panthers scoring in the first two rounds for a 2-1 win.

Anton Lundell and Sam Reinhart each scored in the shootout; Tarasov stopped two.

The Panthers opened the scoring with 1:11 remaining in the second period on their 13th shot of the night, Matthew Tkachuk feeding Sam Bennett for a one-timer.

Winnipeg forced a turnover to get its game-tying goal, that coming 5:24 into the third on its 13th shot on goal.

Tarasov ended with 17 saves not counting the two in the shootout; he has made three starts in 2026 and is now 3-0.

Hellebuyck made 19 saves.

Paul Maurice got his first win in Winnipeg as coach of the Panthers.

Maurice resigned as coach of the Jets in 2022 and was 0-3 at Canada Life Centre while with Florida before Thursday night.

GOALS OF THE GAME

• Panthers 1, Jets 0 (18:49 2nd): Matthew Tkachuk gets his first point since returning to the Florida lineup, zipping a pass from the left circle to Sam Bennett who one-times it past Connor Hellebuyck.
• Jets 1, Panthers 1 (5:24 3rd): Uvis Balinskis gets stripped of the puck by Jonathan Toews deep in the offensive zone with Cole Perfetti working around Daniil Tarasov to tie it.
• Panthers 2, Jets 1 (SO): Anton Lundell and Sam Reinhart score, Tarasov goes 2-0.

FHN’S 3 STARS

• 1. Daniil Tarasov, Panthers
• 2. Connor Hellebuyck, Jets
• 3. Sam Bennett, Panthers

ON DECK: GAME No. 50

FLORIDA PANTHERS AT MINNESOTA WILD 

• When: Saturday, 8 p.m.
• Where: Grand Casino Arena; St. Paul, Minn.
• Local TV: Scripps Sports — WSFL 39 (Miami/FTL); WHDT 9 (WPB); LAFF 36.3 (Naples/FTM)
• Streaming: Panthers+, ESPN+
• Radio: WQAM; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
• Last Season: Tied 1-1
• This Season — At Minnesota: Saturday. At Florida: March 26.
• All-time Regular Season Series: Minnesota leads 21-11-2, 1 tie
• Up Next for the Panthers: Sunday at Chicago Blackhawks, 8 p.m.