Jets vs. Panthers
Aleksander Barkov is nine games into his first season as captain of the Florida Panthers, but the next two will carry more significance as his team faces the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday and Friday in his native Finland in the NHL Global Series. The Panthers have struggled in the early going, but one season removed from a 78-point campaign, many are noticing the growth in the 23-year-old center.
“I think he’s growing into it,” Florida coach Bob Boughner told reporters of Barkov Tuesday. “I think that he’s got a good leadership group around him to help him.” Barkov is not the only standout player returning to his homeland this week, as Jets forward Patrik Laine hopes a couple of games in his native country will snap him out of an early-season funk. The 20-year-old, who finished second in the NHL with 44 goals a season ago, has been toggling between the third and fourth lines with only three goals and a minus-3 rating through 12 games. “It’s been the games that I’ve been waiting for since the season started,” Laine told reporters Monday. “It’s awesome to finally be here, be back home.”
TV: 2 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, TSN3 (Winnipeg)
ABOUT THE JETS (7-4-1): Winnipeg lost twice to Toronto last week, including blowing a 2-0 third-period lead Saturday. Center Mark Scheifele earned NHL second star of the week honors and enters Thursday leading the Jets in points (12) while sharing the team lead in goals with forward Kyle Connor (six). Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck will start Thursday, and coach Paul Maurice told reporters the Vezina finalist could play both games in the series.
ABOUT THE PANTHERS (2-4-3): Barkov has eight points, including one goal and five assists in his past six games. Forwards Mike Hoffman (goals in four straight games, points in seven straight) and Evgenii Dadonov (10 points) have helped pace the offense, but defensively Florida is 26th in the NHL while allowing 3.67 goals per game. Goaltender Roberto Luongo (knee) practiced Wednesday, but James Reimer likely will start Thursday.
OVERTIME
1. Connor has two goals and four assists during his five-game point streak, while Laine has not recorded a point in his past five contests.
2. The Panthers have yet to win a game in regulation, posting one victory in overtime and one in a shootout
3. Scheifele is one point shy of 300 for his career.