Anton Lundell stole the show in Florida’s 5-2 win over Winnipeg on Friday night, finishing with a hat trick as the Panthers kept rolling with their sixth victory in eight games.
Seth Jones was right there in the spotlight too. He finished with a goal and two assists, and that pushed him to a new franchise benchmark for a Florida defenseman in a single month. Jones closed October with 18 points - two goals and 16 assists - breaking Keith Yandle’s mark of 17 points in March 2018.
Sam Reinhart added another Florida goal, while Akira Schmid backed it up with 22 saves. The Panthers were still missing Aleksander Barkov and Brad Marchand because of injuries, though both have started skating again. Panthers coach Paul Maurice said Marchand could return in about three weeks and Barkov in about four.
Winnipeg’s slide kept getting worse. Kyle Connor scored his team-best 11th goal, Morgan Barron got his first of the season midway through the third period to pull the Jets within 3-2, and then Lundell answered with his second goal of the night to put Florida back up by two. Lundell later sealed it with an empty-netter with 1:39 remaining, giving the Panthers their fifth hat trick already this season.
The game also opened with fireworks. Florida’s Bokondji Imama and Winnipeg’s Tyrel Bauer dropped the gloves just 2:04 into the first period, a throwback to their much-discussed AHL fight in 2024. They went at it for more than a minute on Friday and finished with the same respectful nod that followed their earlier scrap.
Winnipeg has now dropped both games in its home-and-home with Florida this week and is stuck in an eight-game winless stretch at 0-6-2.
Florida entered the night having played only three home games this season, the fewest in the NHL. More than half the league had already played at least seven at home before Friday.
The Jets head to Carolina on Sunday. The Panthers host Detroit on Monday night.
In Other News...
Panthers Crease Picture Just Got More Complicated Than It Looked
The crease keeps getting a little more interesting for Florida as it prepares to face Winnipeg, with Akira Schmid getting the start while Jacob Markstrom remains on the mend from an upper-body injury. Markstrom has been on injured reserve since Oct. 20, though he is back skating with the team and his return could line up with the Panthers next stretch of games, leaving the staff to juggle short-term stability with the bigger picture in goal.
Winnipegs side adds another wrinkle, with the Jets expected to turn to Nico Daws, a recent trade pickup who could be making his debut. For Florida, it is another reminder that the goaltending picture is still unsettled even as the team tries to keep rolling, and the matchup carries a little extra intrigue with both clubs potentially leaning on a goalie situation that looks different from what anyone projected a few weeks ago. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Are About To Unveil A Look Fans Will Definitely Debate
The Panthers are adding a little more flash to their home wardrobe this season, rolling out a pink-themed jersey as part of their Hometown Remix collection for 10 home games. It will be the first time Florida wears a pink sweater in a regular-season game, and the design goes well beyond a simple color swap, with a bright pink body and a modernized version of the clubs stick-and-palm look.
The jersey is set to be unveiled Monday morning, and it is already the kind of alternate fans are likely to have strong opinions about. Florida is also expected to pair the new look with matching goalie pads, giving the whole presentation a fully coordinated feel as the Panthers introduce a style that is bound to stand out at home. [Read more 🡒]