Huberdeau, Forsling each score twice as Panthers crush Jets 6-1

The Winnipeg Jets became the latest victim of the highest-scoring team in the NHL Friday night as the Florida Panthers punished the Jets 6-1.

Jonathan Huberdeau opened the scoring just 2:03 into the game when a shot banked off the end boards right to his stick in front of the net, beating Connor Hellebuyck who was out of position. The goal extended Huberdeau’s point streak to 13 games.

Huberdeau struck again at the 4:43 mark when he cut to the net and eluded the Jets defence as he finished off a great pass from Claude Giroux.

Florida looked to have taken a 3-0 lead when the puck ended up skittering across the goal line during a scramble but the Jets challenged the goal for goaltender interference and the goal was called off.

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The Panthers had another apparent goal waved off later in the period as the officials ruled the puck was played with a high stick before the puck went into the net.

Winnipeg got a chance to respond early in the second when they got their third power play of the night but right after Gustav Forsling stepped out of the box, he was sprung on a breakaway and beat Hellebuyck on the backhand.

With 16:21 gone in the period, Forsling scored his second of the night, walking unchecked into the slot and sending a wrister past Hellebuyck that looked to have gone off Kyle Connor’s stick on its way by.

The Jets did manage to get 18 shots on goal in the period but Sergei Bobrovsky was able to keep them all out. In Winnipeg’s end, Hellebuyck’s night ended after 40 minutes as Eric Comrie came in to finish the game.

That changed just 68 seconds into the third when Nikolaj Ehlers found a loose puck near the crease and put it home for his 26th of the season.

But less than a minute later, Dylan Samberg turned the puck over in his own end, Mason Marchment collected it and slid it past Comrie to make it 5-1.

Maxim Mamin finished things off at the 7:00 mark to make it a 6-1 final.

Huberdeau and Giroux each had three points in the win for the Panthers, who were bolstered by a 30 save performance by Bobrovsky.

Hellebuyck stopped 22 shots while Comrie was very busy in his 20 minutes of action, turning aside 15 shots.

Winnipeg continues its final road trip of the season Saturday evening in Tampa Bay.