Lundell Lifts Panthers Past Jets in Tight Defensive Battle
In a game that felt more like a chess match than a track meet, Anton Lundell delivered the final blow in the shootout to give the Florida Panthers a 2-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets at Canada Life Centre. It was a night where scoring chances were rare, defense ruled the day, and one mistake-or one moment of brilliance-was going to make the difference.
Florida, true to their identity as defending champs, played a disciplined, structured game that forced Winnipeg to work for every inch of ice. The Panthers didn’t push the pace so much as they dictated it, slowing the game down and waiting for the Jets to blink. And for two periods, that strategy worked to perfection.
A Game of Inches-and Iron
The Jets had their chance to steal it in overtime when Josh Morrissey rang a wrist shot off the post, beating Daniil Tarasov but not the iron. It was the kind of play that makes you hold your breath-and then exhale in frustration. That would be Winnipeg’s best look in the extra frame before the game moved to the shootout, where Lundell sealed it for Florida.
Cole Perfetti scored the lone goal for the Jets, who continue to quietly rack up points. They’ve now earned at least one in seven of their last eight games (5-1-2), keeping themselves well-positioned in the standings. Connor Hellebuyck turned away 19 shots in the loss, doing his part in a game where goals were at a premium.
Florida’s Patience Pays Off
It wasn’t exactly a fireworks show through the first 40 minutes. In fact, it was the kind of game that demands patience from players and fans alike.
As Cole Perfetti put it afterward, Florida’s style is designed to “lull you to sleep.” And for long stretches, that’s exactly what it did.
The two teams combined for just 23 shots through two periods, with the Panthers finally breaking through late in the second. Sam Bennett found a sliver of space and snapped a quick shot past Hellebuyck at 18:23 to give Florida a 1-0 lead. Outside of that sequence, though, Winnipeg’s defensive structure held strong.
“Pretty good job tonight,” said Kyle Connor. “That's a very simple team.
They don't take too many risks in their game. And I thought we did a good job in our neutral zone, just kind of, only giving them that chip-in and dump-in play.”
The Jets stayed above the puck, stayed disciplined, and didn’t give Florida much room to operate. It was the kind of defensive effort that can get lost in the box score but matters just as much as any goal.
Toews, Perfetti Connect in the Third
With both Matthew Tkachuk and Adam Lowry in the box midway through the third, the game opened up briefly with some 4-on-4 action-and Winnipeg took advantage.
Jonathan Toews, showing flashes of the elite instincts that made him a perennial All-Star, made a savvy play in the neutral zone, stripping Uvis Balinskis of the puck. Without missing a beat, Toews threaded a pass through traffic that landed right on the tape of Cole Perfetti. The young forward made no mistake, walking in and finishing on the backhand to tie the game.
“I don't know. I couldn't see through who it was,” Perfetti said postgame.
“And all of a sudden, the puck was on my stick. And it's a pretty good pass.
So, yeah, I didn't really have to move for that one.”
It was a moment of clarity in a game full of congestion-a flash of offensive execution in a night dominated by defensive structure.
What’s Next
The Jets will look to close out their homestand on a high note when they host the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday. With points in seven of their last eight, there’s no panic in Winnipeg. But against a team like Florida, the margin for error is razor thin-and on this night, it was the Panthers who found just enough to come out on top.