Lundell Hat Trick Buries Winnipeg as Panthers Roll 5-2

Anton Lundell scored three goals — his second, third, and fourth of the season — to power Florida past Winnipeg 5-2 on Friday night. The Panthers needed every one of them, as Winnipeg refused to fold quietly and made things genuinely uncomfortable heading into the third.

Florida drew first blood with 45 seconds left in the opening period, Sam Reinhart converting a wrist shot for his seventh goal of the season, assisted by Carter Verhaeghe and Seth Jones. That late first-period strike was the turning point of the game — the score margin shifted from even to 1-0 Florida, and Winnipeg never led. Lundell extended it to 2-0 just 2:38 into the second on a snap shot set up by Jones, and it looked like the Panthers were in full control. Then Winnipeg answered. Kyle Connor buried his 11th of the year at 9:51 of the second, and suddenly the Jets had life. Seth Jones responded at 15:24 — a snap shot off a Sam Reinhart feed — to push Florida back to a two-goal cushion at 3-1 heading to the third.

Winnipeg wasn't done. Morgan Barron scored his first goal of the season 8:46 into the third to make it 3-2, and the game had genuine tension. That's when Lundell took over. At 13:33, he snapped home his third goal of the night — assisted by Lars Eller and Eetu Luostarinen — to restore the two-goal lead. Then, with 99 seconds left, he completed the hat trick on another snap shot, Luostarinen picking up his second assist of the game, and that was the ballgame: 5-2 final. Lundell finished with 3 points, Jones matched him with a goal and two assists, and Reinhart added a goal and an assist for 2 points. Luostarinen's two-assist night was quiet but essential.

In net, Akira Schmid was sharp for Florida — 22 saves on 24 shots, allowing just 2 goals. Nico Daws was the better statistical story on the losing side, stopping 33 of 37 shots, but four goals against is four goals against. The story of the night was Lundell's dominance in the third period: two goals in the final 6:27 when Winnipeg had momentum and a puncher's chance. That looks like a player who understands big moments. Florida's offense has been finding its footing lately, and a performance like this — seven different scorers, sustained pressure across all three periods — appears to be exactly the kind of statement game the Panthers needed heading into a lighter stretch of the schedule.