Hellebuyck, Jets shut out Panthers in Bowness return

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Connor Hellebuyck made 32 saves, and the Winnipeg Jets won coach Rick Bowness’ return, 3-0 against the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena on Friday.

Bowness had been away from the Jets since Oct. 23 after his wife, Judy, suffered a seizure. They went 9-2-2 under associate coach Scott Arniel.

“Loved it,” Bowness said when asked what it felt like to be back behind the bench. “Comfortable.”

Hellebuyck said, “It was awesome just having him around. His energy lifts the team. I am happy to have him around and happy his family is doing good.”

Nino Niederreiter, Nikolaj Ehlers and Adam Lowry scored, and Dylan Samberg and Mason Appleton each had two assists for Winnipeg (12-5-2), which has won five in a row and eight of its past nine games. It was Hellebuyck’s first shutout of the season.

“I think we are realizing there is a chess match to be played and we are willing to do it,” Hellebuyck said. “We waited for our chances and then capitalized on them. We won with three goals, and I think everyone is happy with three goals. We’re learning there is multiple ways to our game.”

Sergei Bobrovsky made 29 saves for Florida (12-7-1), which had a six-game home winning streak end in a 3-1 loss to the Boston Bruins on Wednesday.

“We struggled right from the start; it was our feet and our hands,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “We were behind our game considerably for the entire night.

“Over 82 [games] you are going to have some tough first periods, but we have been good and have been able to rally and get back. We did some strange things tonight. The positive thing is, when your whole group is that bad, it is fixable. It is not something systemic.”

Niederreiter gave the Jets a 1-0 lead at 17:43 of the first period, tapping a rebound in front of Samberg’s shot from the left point. It was Niederreiter’s first goal in eight games.

“We made a great face-off play, [I] knew the puck was going to the net,” Niederreiter said. “I saw it hit something and I went right over and was hoping the puck would come to my side so I could put it home.”

Hellebuyck kept Winnipeg in front when he denied Aleksander Barkov on a breakaway with 1:50 left in the second period.

Ehlers made it 2-0 at 11:14 of the third period when he worked his way around Florida defenseman Uvis Balinskis and scored on a wrist shot for his fourth goal in five games.

“Filthy. Beautiful hands, beautiful feet,” Hellebuyck said of Ehlers’ goal. “What more can you say about the guy? He is just filthy all around.”

Lowry scored an empty-net goal while short-handed at 16:10 for the 3-0 final.

Hellebuyck preserved the shutout with 14 saves in the third.

“We were not at our best from the start,” said Barkov, the Panthers captain. “Obviously [we] tried to do everything we could, but they played really well defensively. Their goalie was really good. I don’t think we had enough guys at the net for rebounds. It was a tight game the whole game.”

NOTES: The Jets haven’t had a longer winning streak since the 2017-18 season, when they reeled off six straight victories. … It was Hellebuyck’s 33rd NHL shutout. … Winnipeg defenseman Nate Schmidt was plus-2 and blocked four shots in 21:51 of ice time. … Barkov returned after missing two games with a knee injury. He had one shot on goal and won nine of 18 face-offs in 19:39.