Home is where the heart is and it’s also where the @Winnipeg Jets got back in the win column as they opened up a three goal lead and then hung on for a closer-than-needed 4-3 victory against a very game @Florida Panthers club that is in the middle of their own playoff battle with the @Toronto Maple Leafs.

@Mathieu Perreault returned to the lineup which meant taking out @Jansen Harkins, all the other lines remained unchanged from the Vancouver contest

Going into the contest, the Jets found themselves in a very tight battle for a coveted Wild Card spot, but also within reach of a struggling @Dallas Stars team that was hanging on to third place in the Central. The Panthers meanwhile were holding on to third place in the Atlantic as the Maple Leafs have had struggles of their own. The first period very much played out like two teams not wanting to make a big mistake early, but Mason Appleton opened up the scoring, continuing his recent hot streak as he scored the only goal of the first period to put the Jets up 1-0.

Lots of fireworks in the second period as Winnipeg came out firing early on and got two quick goals past @Sergei Bobrovsky and it looked like the Jets were about to run away with this one.

But a little over a minute after @Kyle Connor scored his 40th of the season and @Nikolaj Ehlers made it 3-0, the Panthers found the back of the net as well as @Frank Vatrano scored the first of his two goals on the night.

After that brief flurry of goal scoring both teams settled in to more defensive minded hockey for the rest of the second and again the Jets did well to limit Florida scoring chances by keeping everything to the outside of their zone and making sure @Connor Hellebuyck had clean looks at seven other shots he faced in that period.

The third period was led off by a Mathieu Perreauly power-play goal that put the Jets up 4-1 and seemingly on the path to an easy win on the night.

The Jets maybe let their foot off the pedal a little too much however and the Panthers took advantage with a couple of goals to make it a one goal game with over seven minutes left to go.

In the end though, Florida was caught being a little too aggressive in trying to tie things up as a couple of penalties in the last five minutes of the game prevented them from any solid chance at salvaging a point out of the game.

The Jets hang on, get back to within two points of the Dallas Stars for third in the Central and help out the Leafs as well by keeping the Panthers only two points ahead of Toronto in that divisional race.

 

Scoring
WPG – 8:18 – Mason Appleton (7) – Assists: Nick Shore (4), Cody Eakin (5)

Penalties
None

Shots
FLA: 8 – WPG: 9

Scoring
WPG – 2:38 – Kyle Connor (40) – Assists: Mark Scheifele (46), Neal Pionk (42)
WPG – 4:09 – Nikolaj Ehlers (26) – Assists: Patrik Laine (37), Andrew Copp (17)
FLA – 5:25 – Frank Vatrano – Assists: Lucas Wallmark, Brett Connolly

Penalties
None

Shots
FLA: 8 (16) – WPG: 10 (19)

Scoring
WPG – 4:04 – Matthew Perreault (PPG) (8) – Assists: Patrik Laine (38), Nikolaj Ehlers (35)
FLA – 6:15 – Frank Vatrano – Assists: Brett Connolly, Arron Ekblad
FLA – 12:35 – Jonathan Huberdeau – Assist: Anton Stralman

Penalties
FLA – 3:04 – Evgenii Dadonov (Tripping)
FLA – 15:53 – Mike Hoffman (Hooking)
FLA – 19:19 – Mackenzie Weegar (Tripping)

Shots
FLA: 14 (30) – WPG: 9 (28)

W – Connor Hellebuyck (27 of 30)
L – Sergei Bobrovsky (24 of 28)

1st – Frank Vatrano
2nd – Nikolaj Ehlers
3rd – Patrik Laine

Hits
FLA: 16 – WPG: 12

Time on attack
FLA: 8:55 – WPG: 7:45

Faceoffs
FLA: 16 – WPG: 14

Powerplay
FLA: 0/0 – WPG: 1/3