Panthers Lose Third Straight, Falling to Jets 2-1

Winnipeg scores twice in the third period to rally past Florida in Sunrise.

Jan. 31, 2026 at 5:55pm

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The Florida Panthers were unable to hold on to their one-goal lead, as the Winnipeg Jets scored twice in the third period to defeat the Panthers 2-1 on Saturday night. Evan Rodrigues scored the lone goal for Florida in the first period, but the Jets rallied with goals from Cole Perfetti and Mark Scheifele in the final frame to hand the Panthers their third consecutive loss.

Why it matters

The loss is a tough blow for the Panthers, who are already eight points out of a playoff spot. Every point is crucial at this stage of the season, and the Panthers were unable to capitalize on their early lead against a divisional opponent.

The details

The Panthers took a 1-0 lead in the first period when Evan Rodrigues' wrist shot from the top of the right circle deflected in off Eetu Luostarinen. However, the Jets tied the game in the third period when Cole Perfetti scored on a rebound, and then took the lead for good when Mark Scheifele scored on a 2-on-1 rush with Kyle Connor.

  • The Panthers took a 1-0 lead at 14:40 of the first period.
  • The Jets tied the game at 1-1 at 8:34 of the third period.
  • The Jets took a 2-1 lead at 15:46 of the third period.

The players

Paul Maurice

The head coach of the Florida Panthers.

Evan Rodrigues

A forward for the Florida Panthers who scored the team's lone goal.

Eetu Luostarinen

A forward for the Florida Panthers who was credited with the deflection on Rodrigues' goal.

Cole Perfetti

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

Mark Scheifele

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

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

The takeaway

The Panthers' inability to hold onto their early lead and their third straight loss is a concerning development for a team that is already struggling to stay in the playoff race. The team will need to find a way to generate more offense and tighten up defensively if they hope to turn things around and make a push for the postseason.