Struggling Panthers Continue Road Trip In Frigid Winnipeg
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WINNIPEG (CBSMiami/SportsDirect) – It seems like the Florida Panthers face new obstacles with each passing day.
The Winnipeg Jets likely will be a refreshed bunch when they host the Panthers on Thursday, following three consecutive off days after a grueling stretch to open the season.
The Jets played 32 games in the season's first 60 days and had more than two days off between games once before this week, a break Winnipeg entered on a three-game losing streak.
"It was nice to get away mentally and physically," Jets captain Blake Wheeler admitted to reporters after Wednesday's practice as Winnipeg earned only one point in its past four games while allowing 14 goals.
The Panthers are 2-4-3 in their past nine games, falling to Minnesota 5-1 on Tuesday in scoring two goals or fewer for the seventh time in that span.
"Guys have to understand that if you're going to play in the National Hockey League, you've got to show up every single day," Florida coach Tom Rowe told reporters afterward.
Forward Jaromir Jagr did not record a point and remains four behind Mark Messier for second in NHL history.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Miami), TSN3 (Winnipeg)
ABOUT THE PANTHERS (13-13-4): Florida failed to score on five power-play opportunities Tuesday, and is 1-for-25 with a man advantage in its past seven contests.
Forward Jonathan Marchessault, tied with Aleksander Barkov for the team lead in points (20), recorded an assist Tuesday after missing the previous five games with a lower-body injury.
Goaltender Roberto Luongo was pulled after allowing five goals on 17 shots Tuesday, and James Reimer is expected to start Thursday.
ABOUT THE JETS (13-16-3): Winnipeg scored five goals during its three-game losing streak while giving up five power-play goals, yet sat only one point out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot entering Wednesday.
Rookie forward Patrik Laine (17 goals) and center Mark Scheifele (14 goals) rank among the league leaders, but the two have combined for only two points (one goal, one assist) in the past three games.
Winnipeg allowed the second-most goals in the NHL through Tuesday's action (96).
OVERTIME
- Jagr has 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in 30 games, giving the 44-year-old 1,883 career points in his 25-year career.
- Florida ranks among the NHL leaders in penalty kill (84.8 percent) while the Jets are near the bottom (77.6 percent).
- Jets F Joel Armia and C Shawn Matthias, both sidelined with lower-body injuries, skated Wednesday and could return to the lineup next week.
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