Panthers aim to resume winning ways, face streaking Jets in Sunrise

David Dwork

Nov 24, 2023, 13:00

David Dwork

Nov 24, 2023, 13:00

Winnipeg is playing very well of late and is 5-0-2 against Eastern Conference teams this season

The Florida Panthers are set to open the doors to Amerant Bank Arena for a special Black Friday showdown with the Winnipeg Jets.

Florida will be looking to bounce back after a frustrating 3-1 loss to the Boston Bruins on Wednesday.

Playing without captain Sasha Barkov, the Panthers struggled mightily in the faceoff circle and had trouble sustaining zone pressure as the game went on.

Barkov is considered day-to-day after taking a knee-on-knee hit during a game last Friday in Anaheim.

He was held out of Monday’s win over Edmonton and Wednesday’s loss to Boston, but the 28-year-old two-way star resumed skating earlier in the week and is hopeful to get back into the lineup.

Winnipeg arrives in South Florida the winner of four straight games, fresh off a 3-2 overtime victory in Tampa Bay on Wednesday.

The Jets are also 5-0-2 when facing Eastern Conference teams this season, making them the only team in the NHL yet to lose in regulation to an opponent from the easternmost conference.

Leading the way for the ‘Peggers are Kyle Connor (14 goals) and Mark Scheifele (15 assists), who each have racked up 22 points in 18 games.

Jets starting goaltender Connor Hellebuyck enters the game 8-2-1 over his past 11 outings, earning a 2.43 goals against average and .915 save percentage during that span.

At the opposite end of the ice, Panthers starter Sergei Bobrovsky enters Friday having won six of his past eight games.

Bob’s nine wins on the season are tied for second-most in the NHL, along with Adin Hill, Thatcher Demko, Cam Talbot and Hellebuyck.

Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for their Black Friday tilt with Winnipeg:

Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Sam Reinhart

Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk

Evan Rodrigues – Kevin Stenlund – Nick Cousins

Jonah Gadjovich – Steven Lorentz – Ryan Lomberg

Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad

Niko Mikkola – Brandon Montour

Oliver Ekman-Larsson – Dmitry Kulikov

If Barkov plays:

Evan Rodrigues – Sasha Barkov – Sam Reinhart