Frozen Out: Scheifele, Jets Take Down the Panthers

The Winnipeg Jets turned the tables on the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night in a game that had the feel of a heavyweight bout.

A few days after getting beat down in Sunrise, the Jets got a hat trick from Mark Scheifele and ended a two-game slide with a 6-3 win over Florida.

Winnipeg is 16-3-0 this season with wins in eight of its past 10 games after getting outscored 9-1 in losses to the Lightning and Panthers.

Florida has lost three of four and moves on to face Chicago on Thursday before heading back for a Thanksgiving three-game homestand.

Winnipeg took a 2-0 lead into the second on a pair of quick goals at the end of the first with Kyle Connor and Scheifele scoring.

After the Panthers killed off a 2-minute 5-on-3 power play early in the period, Scheifele got his second of the night on a power-play chance at 15:41 of the second.

A.J. Greer got the Panthers on the board by throwing a shot off of Adam Lowry that slipped past Connor Hellebuyck (20 saves).

Florida was back in it at 3-2 when Sam Reinhart got his 14th of the season — only a penalty from Eetu Luostarinen proved costly.

Even though Scheifele’s third goal of the night to make it 4-2 at 9:56 of the third was not a power-play goal — it may as well have been.

The Jets held the puck in the Florida zone for 1:46 before Scheifele got a feed on the left side of the net.

Florida made it a game once more, Tkachuk scoring on the 6-on-4 power play with Sasha Barkov blocking Hellebuyck’s vision with 3:22 remaining.

The Panthers got another power play chance late, but pulling Bobrovsky did not help this time out as Winnipeg gets back-t0-back empty-net goals from Morgan Barron.

HOW THEY SCORED

• Jets 1, Panthers 0 (14:13 1st): Kyle Connor throws a backhanded shot past Sergei Bobrovsky from eight feet out.
• Jets 2, Panthers 0 (17:40 1st): Mark Scheifele gets his first of the night, scoring from the top of the left circle.
• Jets 3, Panthers 0 (15:41 2nd PP): Scheifele rockets a one-timer again from the left circle.
• Jets 3, Panthers 1 (17:24 2nd): A.J. Greer snaps the shutout, throwing a shot off the skate of Adam Lowry and past Connor Hellebuyck.
• Jets 3, Panthers 2 (7:10 3rd PP): Sam Reinhart gets his 14th of the season, one-timing a feed from Matthew Tkachuk.
• Jets 4, Panthers 2 (9:56 3rd): Scheifele cashes in on a long Winnipeg shift to all but end things.
• Jets 4, Panthers 3 (16:38 3rd PP): Tkachuk rifles a shot through traffic with Sasha Barkov in front to give Florida life.
• Jets 5, Panthers 3 (18:23 3rd SH-EN): Morgan Barron gets his first of the season, putting one into the empty net.
• Jets 6, Panthers 3 (18:44 3rd SH-EN): Guess who? It’s Barron again.

GR’S 3 STARS OF THE GAME

• 1. Mark Scheifele, Winnipeg
• 2. Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg
• 3. Matthew Tkachuk, Florida

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)