By IceHockeyMan Editorial Team | 31 October 2026
Match date: 31 October 2026.
Final score: Panthers 5, Jets 2.
A. Lundell’s hat-trick gave the Panthers a 5-2 home win over the Jets on 31 October, with his second goal restoring breathing room after Winnipeg had cut the gap to one in the third period.
Game Story
The Panthers established control late in the opening period when S. Reinhart scored at 18:15, assisted by C. Verhaeghe and S. Jones. A. Lundell doubled the home lead 2:38 into the second, with S. Jones again involved.
The Jets found a response at 9:51 of the middle frame as K. Connor converted from M. Scheifele and N. Pionk. Florida answered before the interval, though, with S. Jones scoring at 15:24 after S. Reinhart’s assist to put the Panthers 3-1 ahead.
Winnipeg kept the contest alive when M. Barron made it 3-2 at 8:46 of the third, assisted by D. Mercer and D. DeMelo. The Panthers’ reply arrived at 13:33. A. Lundell scored his second of the night from L. Eller and E. Luostarinen, re-establishing the two-goal margin.
Lundell completed the hat-trick at 18:21, with E. Luostarinen collecting his second assist. Florida had turned a competitive game into a three-goal result through a composed finish after the Jets had offered one last route back into it.
Turning Point
M. Barron’s goal brought the Jets within one at 8:46 of the third period, but A. Lundell answered 4:47 later to make it 4-2. That goal ended Winnipeg’s immediate momentum and gave the Panthers the cushion they needed before Lundell’s late third.
Standout Performers
A. Lundell supplied all three Panthers goals, scoring early in the second period, then twice in the third. S. Jones delivered a goal and two assists in 24:16, helping to set the tone at both ends of Florida’s scoring sequence. S. Reinhart added a goal and an assist, while E. Luostarinen assisted on Lundell’s final two strikes. In goal, A. Schmid made 22 saves on 24 shots for the Panthers. N. Daws faced 37 shots and made 33 saves for Winnipeg.
Tactical Observations
Florida’s advantage was built gradually rather than through one explosive spell. The Panthers scored late in the first, early in the second and then answered each Jets goal before pulling away in the closing stages. Their 37 shots created a clear volume edge over Winnipeg’s 24, while A. Schmid’s 22 saves ensured the Jets never drew level. Winnipeg’s two third-period goals cut into the margin, but the Panthers’ 4-2 response showed the value of converting the next decisive scoring moment rather than allowing the game to become level.
Coach Mark Comment
The important stretch for A. Lundell was not the final goal that completed the hat-trick, but the one at 13:33. Winnipeg had just made it a one-goal game and the night had become uncomfortable again. Scoring 4:47 later is the sort of answer that changes the work left for everybody on the ice. A hat-trick is a fine reward, but that second third-period finish was the one that made the result feel secure.
What It Means
The Panthers had four multi-point skaters in A. Lundell, S. Jones, S. Reinhart and E. Luostarinen, and their scoring was spread across all three periods. Lundell’s hat-trick supplied the headline, but the win also reflected a productive contribution from the blue line through Jones.
What Comes Next
For the Panthers, the immediate question is whether they can carry the same balance of shot volume and timely scoring into their next outing. The Jets will look back at the third-period push and the missed opportunity to turn a one-goal game into a level one.