Panthers Beat Jets 5-2: What Did We Learn?

The Florida Panthers are finding ways to win, and the Winnipeg Jets are struggling to stop losing. Friday's 5-2 win in Sunrise showed how differently these two teams are doing right now.

Anton Lundell was the obvious star, scoring three times for Florida. But this win was about more than one player's hat trick. Seth Jones continued an outstanding month, setting a franchise record for points by a Florida defenceman in October with 18. Sam Reinhart added a goal, and the Panthers picked up their sixth win in eight games. That's a pretty good response from a team still missing Aleksander Barkov and Brad Marchand.

Florida Is Finding Contributions Everywhere.

Here's what stands out about the Panthers. They're not waiting for their biggest names to return before getting on with the business of winning hockey games. Lundell stepped forward with three goals, while Jones has been providing offence from the back end. Florida is getting contributions from different places, and that's important when injuries take away some of your usual options.

It's also a reminder of what makes a good team difficult to play against. You can spend a lot of time preparing for the stars, but somebody else has to be ready to take advantage when the opportunity comes along. Jones deserves particular recognition. His 18 points in October broke Keith Yandle's previous franchise record of 17 points by a defenceman in a single month. That's quite a month.

Winnipeg Needs to Find Its Way Back.

The situation is becoming more uncomfortable for the Jets. They've now gone eight games without a win, going 0-6-2, and Friday's loss completed a two-game sweep by Florida, which had also beaten Winnipeg earlier in the week. There was a little encouragement when Morgan Barron scored in the third period to pull Winnipeg within a goal. But Lundell quickly restored Florida's two-goal advantage, and the Jets couldn't build on the moment.

It's easy to talk about confidence when a team is winning. It's harder to know how to get it back when losses keep piling up. The Jets don't need to solve everything in one night. They do need to find something to build on, whether that's a better defensive effort, a timely save, or a little more offensive support for Kyle Connor.

What Did We Learn About the Jets?

Florida is showing that it has enough depth and character to keep winning through injuries. Winnipeg, meanwhile, needs to rediscover the habits that made it successful. The season is still young, and eight winless games don't define a team. But the Jets would probably welcome a chance to turn the page pretty soon.