Florida Panthers Keep Up the Fight in Loss to Winnipeg Jets

Say one thing for the Florida Panthers: They keep on fighting.

Tuesday night, the Panthers were down three goals to the Winnipeg Jets but kept on coming.

When Matthew Tkachuk scored a power-play goal with 3:22 left, Florida was down just a goal.

Another power play chance came with 2:15 remaining and the Panthers had a chance to tie the score.

Only with Sergei Bobrovsky pulled for the extra attacker, Morgan Barron banked a shot off the boards and into the empty net to give Winnipeg the win. His second empty-net goal moments later ended it at 6-3.

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It certainly was not the best performance the Panthers put out this season — but with time left on the clock, they gave themselves a chance against the top team in the NHL.

“That kind of game, you never felt like you were really out of it,’’ coach Paul Maurice said. “There was an awful lot of good offense by both teams that never got to the net. I think we missed 26 times. There were posts, went wide. So, even down three, you are right there, right in the game.’’

Florida has lost three of its past four games heading into its game Thursday against the rebuilding Blackhawks.

The past two games against the Jets, however, have shown the two losses last week against New Jersey were probably nothing more than a blip in a long season.

“Every time we felt we were coming back, they got one and took the momentum,” Tkachuk said. “It was an even game for the most part. It was hard to lose when you get close, get the power play and there are a couple of plays you would like to change. It was a hard-fought game between two real good teams.’’

Despite Tuesday’s score, this was about as even a game as one could get.

Shots were 27-23 in Winnipeg’s favor, with shot attempts at 66-59.

As Maurice said, the Panthers missed the net 26 times; Winnipeg 23.

The big difference was on the power play, with the Jets’ top-ranked unit getting one goal in the second and another after a long shift in the third after a power-play chance ended.

Florida did kill off a 5-on-3 for 2 minutes down 2-0 — and scored a pair of power-play goals of their own.

“When they score six, you think they dominated the game but it did not feel like that,’’ Maurice said. “It was alright. Don’t think we were bad, don’t think we were great. We were OK.’’

ON DECK: GAME 20

FLORIDA PANTHERS AT CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

• When: Thursday, 8:30 p.m.
• Where: United Center, Chicago
• Local TV: NONE
• National Streaming ONLY: ESPN+/Hulu
• Radio: WPOW 96.5-FM2; 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 Florida: Feb. 1 (ABC). At Chicago: Thursday.
• All-time regular season series: Blackhawks lead 29-19-4, 3 ties
• Up Next for the Panthers: Saturday vs. Colorado Avalanche, 6 (Local TV)