5 TAKEAWAYS: Jets 5, Panthers 2

WINNIPEG -- Down several key players due to injuries, the Florida Panthers closed out their five-game road trip with a 5-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets at Canada Life Centre on Tuesday.
Winning two of three games to end their trip, the Panthers sit at 12-10-4 in the standings.
"We've got to take some confidence back to home ice," Panthers forward Sam Reinhart said. "It seems like a few months ago we were back there. We've got to get back in a groove there. It's a quick turnaround once we get home."
For a quick recap of the game, click
HERE
.
To read up on five key takeaways for the Cats, continue below.

1. SWAGGY HAS POWER

The goals are flowing freely for Carter Verhaeghe.
After notching a pair of goals during Saturday's win at Seattle, the speedy sniper got the Panthers on the board against the Jets when he beat Connor Hellebuyck with a top-shelf shot on the power play to make it 1-1 at 14:11 of the first period.

Leading the Panthers with 15 goals, Verhaeghe has been enjoying a newfound role on the power play this season. With six points (four goals, two assists) on the man advantage in 2022-23, he's already matched his power-play point total over his first three seasons in the NHL.
In Winnipeg, Verhaeghe fired off a team-high eight shots on goal.

2. IN THE BOX EARLY

The Panthers asked a bit too much of their penalty kill early in Winnipeg.
Of the four power plays the Panthers gave to the Jets, three came in the first period. On the second of those power plays, Mark Scheifele took a pass from Pierre-Luc Dubois and beat Spencer Knight from on the right doorstep to open the scoring and put Winnipeg up 1-0 at 13:20.
"You take a couple penalties early and get their top guys into the game," Reinhart said. "They're feeling it, and we're trying to defend and playing catch-up."
Even though they'd prefer to stay out of trouble, the Panthers have done a good job overall of limiting the damage when down a man as of late. Dating back a few weeks to Nov. 26, they rank tied for eighth in the NHL with an 81.8% success rate on the penalty kill over a six-game span.
In wins at Vancouver and Seattle on their trip, Florida went a combined 5-for-5 on the PK.

3. CALL-UPS CONTRIBUTE

Zac Dalpe put it best during his interview after morning skate.
"It's never a bad thing to get called up," the 33-year-old smiled.
Recalled from the AHL on Monday, the veteran forward trimmed Florida's deficit to 4-2 in the third period when he collected a slick cross-ice feed from fellow call-up Chris Tierney and scored at 9:02.

The goal was Dalpe's first in the NHL April 6, 2021.
"You want to feel good about your game," Dalpe said. "The loss kind of stings a bit. Me and Tierns (Tierney) have been playing down there [in the AHL]. Hopefully you can keep that chemistry going."
An important part of the organization, Dalpe has been serving as a captain and mentor for the Panthers in the AHL since last season. With plenty still left in the tank, he also leads the Checkers in goals (10) and is tied for third in points (15) through 19 games this season.
Also recalled on Monday, Matt Kiersted and Tierney both recorded assists in Winnipeg.
"We needed it," Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said. "The three guys with the best legs, they played about 10 minutes and got up and down the ice as fast as they could. They were trying and they completed on a nice play that we couldn't connect on tonight. Good for them to get rewarded."

4. SOLID AT EVEN STRENGTH

Even though they might not have had their legs, the Panthers were strong at even strength.
By the time the final horn sounded, Florida led 55-40 in shot attempts, 32-21 in shots on goal, 28-21 in scoring chances and 15-5 in high-danger shot attempts at 5-on-5, per NaturalStatTrick.com.
Thanks to those numbers, the Panthers also led 2.99-1.72 in expected goals.
"Half step of legs mostly," Maurice said. "We didn't start with the puck a whole heck of a lot. We were behind it about six inches in most parts. Not in the hearts, not in the minds, but in the legs, so the sticks were a little off the game and we got behind it a bit."
A great possession team, Florida's 55.53 CF% at 5-on-5 ranks third in the NHL.

5. HELLEBUYCK'S NIGHT

The main reason that Florida's strong play at 5-on-5 didn't result in more goals?
Hellebuyck.
An early-season contender for the Vezina Trophy, the veteran goaltender turned aside 39 of 41 shots against the Panthers, including making 31 saves on 32 shots against at even strength.
"He's a big man and covers an awful lot of net," Maurice said. "Even the ones that get away from him, he seems strong in that crease. He'll make a whole bunch of saves look easy on size alone. He's a good one."
In the second period, Hellebuyck stopped all 25 shots he faced to shut down a strong push for the Panthers and help the Jets turn their 2-1 lead into a 4-1 lead heading into the third period.
Per NaturalStatTrick.com, Hellebuyck finished the game with nine high-danger saves.
"He played solid," Reinhart said. "It seemed like he was square to everything. I think second and third opportunities weren't really there for us."