Jets rally in third to defeat Panthers

Winnipeg scores twice late to hand Florida its third straight loss

Jan. 31, 2026 at 11:55pm

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The Winnipeg Jets rallied with two third-period goals to defeat the Florida Panthers 2-1 on Saturday in Sunrise, Florida. Cole Perfetti and Mark Scheifele scored the goals for Winnipeg, which entered the game having won just two of its previous seven contests. The Panthers, dealing with injuries to key players Brad Marchand and Anton Lundell, took a 1-0 lead in the first period but were unable to hold on.

Why it matters

This was an important win for the Jets as they try to climb back into playoff position in the Western Conference. The Panthers, the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, have now lost three straight games and are also outside of playoff position in the Eastern Conference, highlighting their struggles this season.

The details

The Jets were held to just 16 shots on goal through the first two periods, but they were able to tie the game at 1-1 with 11:26 remaining in the third period when Perfetti scored on the rebound of a Gabriel Vilardi shot. Winnipeg then took the lead for good with 4:14 left when Scheifele scored off a pass from Kyle Connor. Jets goaltender Eric Comrie made 27 saves to earn the win.

  • The Panthers took a 1-0 lead with 5:20 remaining in the first period on a goal by Eatu Luostarinen.
  • The Jets tied the game at 1-1 with 11:26 left in the third period on Perfetti's goal.
  • Scheifele scored the game-winning goal for the Jets with 4:14 remaining in the third period.

The players

Cole Perfetti

Winnipeg Jets forward who scored the game-tying goal in the third period.

Mark Scheifele

Winnipeg Jets forward who scored the game-winning goal in the third period.

Eric Comrie

Winnipeg Jets goaltender who made 27 saves to earn the victory.

Eatu Luostarinen

Florida Panthers forward who scored the team's lone goal in the first period.

Sergei Bobrovsky

Florida Panthers goaltender who made 19 saves in the loss.

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What they’re saying

“We must find a way to close out games. This was a tough loss, but we'll regroup and come back stronger.”

— Paul Maurice, Florida Panthers Head Coach

What’s next

The Jets will look to build on this win as they continue their push for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Panthers, meanwhile, will try to end their three-game losing streak when they host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday.

The takeaway

This game highlighted the contrasting fortunes of the Jets and Panthers so far this season. While Winnipeg was able to rally late for a crucial victory, Florida's struggles continued as they fell further out of playoff position in the Eastern Conference.