Winnipeg Jets at Florida Panthers

Mark Scheifele scores in OT, Jets beat Panthers 5-4

Vladislav Namestnikov also scored twice, Nikolaj Ehlers had a goal and Connor Hellebuyck made 44 saves. Winnipeg had lost seven of eight.

Matthew Tkachuk scored twice for Florida. Sam Reinhart and Marc Staal also connected and Sergei Bobrovsky made 23 saves.

The Panthers rallied in the third to force overtime, with Staal driving in and firing one off Hellebuyck’s glove 33 seconds in to make it 4-3.

On another power play chance, Tkachuk tied it with his second of the game at 6:24 when he scored on a backhander from the slot.

“The ice was pretty tilted in the third. If you would have told us we would get a point out of it, we would have taken that going into the third,’’ Tkachuk said. “The way we were able to push and dominate the second half of that game, that’s something we need to continue to build on.’’

Florida ended up scoring on three of its five power-play chances. Winnipeg got two of its goals on three power-play opportunities.

“I did not think we were behind the game tonight although the score may have said we were,” Florida coach Paul Maurice said. “We were pretty strong, pretty much in control. We scored power play goals and they scored power play goals; they just did it first. We did not give up a lot 5-on-5 and we had chances to finish it in the third and overtime. We played on back-to-back nights and put up 48 shots on a rested and desperate team.”

Game notes
The Panthers had F Anthony Duclair back in the lineup after he missed their game Friday night against Chicago with an illness. With Duclair playing, Florida scratched D Casey Fitzgerald. … Tkachuk snapped a seven-game goals drought in the first period. His second goal of the night gave him 30 this season. … The two goals by Namestnikov were his first since coming to Winnipeg in a trade deadline deal with Tampa Bay. Namestnikov and the Jets visit the Lightning on Sunday. … Florida D Brandon Montour had an assist on Tkachuk’s first goal, giving 200 NHL points.

UP NEXT

Jets: At Tampa Bay on Sunday night.

WPG wins series 2-0