Another Jackets Blowout: Columbus Blue Jackets 6, Florida Panthers 3

SUNRISE — After being blown out by the Florida Panthers in their previous two meetings, the Columbus Blue Jackets weren’t going to take it anymore.

Or something of the sort.

The Blue Jackets, outscored 17-6 in two losses to the Panthers this season, took full advantage of the Panthers giving Jonas Johansson his first start with the team.

It must have felt good to be on the other side of a blowout.

Unless, of course, you were Johansson who gave up three goals in the third period alone as the Blue Jackets sprinted out of FLA Live Arena with a 6-3 win over the Panthers.

The Panthers were 23-3-0 at home on Tuesday morning.

They have now lost their past two games on home ice.

Florida wanted to see Johansson in a game as he not started since Dec. 4 with Colorado and had not played at all since the Panthers picked him up off waivers later that month.

And now they have.

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The Panthers, as they had in the previous two games against the Blue Jackets, took the first lead.

Florida was up 1-0 at 8:33 of the first after Sasha Barkov found MacKenzie Weegar all alone and the defenseman cashed in.

Columbus, however, did not back down.

The Blue Jackets — which has now won nine of 11 — tied the score on an odd-man rush started off by Jakub Voracek and finished by Patrik Laine.

The goal extended Laine’s scoring streak to 11 games as he has three goals against the Panthers in their past two contests.

In the second, Columbus took its first lead on the Panthers this season after Boone Jenner deflected a long shot from Vladislav Gavrikov at 9:32 of the second.

The score remained that way until Gabriel Carlsson one-timed a Oliver Bjorkstrand pass at 3:12 of the third and put the shot through Johansson’s legs.

Florida, which has been misfiring since the third period against Nashville, got things going a few minutes later.

Jonathan Huberdeau made it a one-goal game at 6:52 by taking a Mason Marchment pass, walking in and beating J-F Berube — the Columbus goalie who was making his third consecutive start after being out of the NHL since 2018.

Berube did his job (again) in keeping his team in it as the Panthers came on a full-scale attack despite playing shorthanded.

But Florida’s comeback hopes were derailed when Johansson gave up a pair of goals within 10 seconds.

First, it was Cole Sillinger scoring at 9:47 of the period. Then, Justin Danforth threw one in from just inside the blueline at 9:57.

As good as the Panthers have been at coming back in games — especially at home — this one was done.

Florida did give it the old college try, however.

With 8:30 left, Johansson left the net and the Panthers ended up cutting the Jackets’ lead back to two goals as Sam Bennett scored with the extra attacker.

That rally was short-lived as well.

Columbus put one into that vacated net with 5:59 left to make it 6-3.

GR’S THREE STARS OF THE GAME

1. Jakob Voracek, Columbus

2. Patrik Laine, Columbus

3. J-F Berube, Columbus

FLORIDA PANTHERS ON DECK

EDMONTON OILERS AT FLORIDA PANTHERS

• When: Saturday, 12:30 p.m.
• Where: FLA Live Arena, Sunrise
• Tickets: CLICK HERE
• Streaming only: Hulu/ESPN+
• Radio: WAXY 790-AM, SiriusXM
• Last season: Did not play 
• All-time regular season series: Edmonton leads 20-14-0, 3 ties
• This season — Florida leads 1-0: Florida 6, @Edmonton 0 (Jan. 20)