Panthers Slip By Jets

     The Florida Panthers faced the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday night at BB&T Center and beat them 6-4. It was the second game of a three-game home stand for the Cats.
     Florida(11-13-4) struck just 2:48 into the contest for a 1-0 lead. A rebound from a Micheal Haley shot came out to Mark Pysyk in the high slot. He skated to the top left circle and scored on wrist shot.
     The Panthers added onto their lead less than a minute later at 2:17. Jonathan Huberdeau had the puck at the top of the zone and angled a pass to his right. Aaron Ekblad sprinted through the right circle and fired a snap shot. Eric Comrie made the save, however Ekblad was able to put in the rebound for his fifth goal of the year. He tied Gord Murphy for third all-time with 43 goals by a Panthers defenseman.
     Winnipeg(17-8-4) cut the deficit down to 2-1 with 4:47 left in the first. Ben Chiarot took a slap shot from the left point which grazed off Patrick Laine in the high slot and sailed by James Reimer.
     The Jets tied the contest 2-2 with 2:17 to go in the period. Adam Lowry, son of former Florida Panther Dave Lowry, was able to redirect a shot from the left of the crease on a cross-ice feed by Brandon Tanev from the right circle.
     The game changed as Winnipeg scored on the power play to go up 3-2 at 4:46 of the second period. Mathieu Perreault was on the left wing and centered the puck where Laine put it across the slot area. Blake Wheeler zipped a shot from the low right circle for his eighth goal of the campaign.
     The Cats evened the game with 4:13 remaining in the second. Jamie McGinn passed the puck from the left wing down to Colton Sceviour on the end wall. He backhanded puck to the crease area and Denis Malgin scored on a one-timer from close range.
     In tbe third period, Florida scored on the power play 48 seconds in. Keith Yandle fired a shot from the top of the zone which was saved. Jonathan Huberdeau made two shot attempts from the blue paint before Vincent Trocheck swept the puck in for his 11th tally of the year.
     The Jets bounced back at the 1:51 mark to tie it 4-4. Bryan Little sent a cross-ice pass from the right side to Laine. He blasted a slap shot from the left circle in the Panthers cage for his second goal of the contest and 16th this season.
     The Panthers regained the lead 5-4 midway through the period at 9:58. Derek MacKenzie shot the puck from the right wing and it was redirected by Haley in the slot. Mike Matheson also got an assist on the play. Trocheck added another goal on the power play into an empty net with 10.1 seconds left to make it 6-4.