National Hockey League
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Winnipeg 5, Florida 4
When: 7:30 PM ET, Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Where: BankAtlantic Center, Sunrise, Florida
Referees: Stephen Walkom, Francois St.Laurent
Linesmen: Steve Barton, Brian Murphy
Attendance: 17760

JETS 5, PANTHERS 4 (OT): Andrew Ladd's second goal of the game at 3:12 of overtime completed a comeback from a three-goal deficit as visiting Winnipeg prevented Florida from clinching its first playoff spot in 12 years.

Ladd scored the tying goal at 53 seconds of the third period as the Jets erased a 3-0 deficit and delivered the game-winner to send the Panthers to their seventh loss in eight games (1-2-5).

Marco Sturm, Kris Versteeg, Tomas Fleischmann and Tomas Kopecky scored for Florida, which needs one point in its final two games to win the Southeast Division title.

Zach Bogosian and Bryan Little had a goal and an assist apiece and Evander Kane also tallied for Winnipeg, which earned a split of the six-game season series.

Sturm and Versteeg score in a span of 1:57 in the opening period to grab a 2-0 lead. Fleischmann boosted the lead to 3-0 just 25 seconds into the second period with his 27th goal and fifth in the last eight games.

Winnipeg answered with two goals in the period as Kane finished a 2-on-1 for his 30th goal at 13:15 and Bogosian drilled a slapper past a fallen Jose Theodore four minutes later to cut the deficit to 3-2 entering the third.

The Jets then surged ahead as Ladd scored on a wrister 53 seconds into the third and Little scored on the power play three minutes later for a stunning 4-3 lead.

Kopecky sent the game into overtime with a sharp-angle shot that beat Ondrej Pavelec with 3:53 left in regulation.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Versteeg scored for the first time in 16 games, giving him seven goals in five games vs. Winnipeg this season and setting a career high with 23. He also matched his career best with 53 points. ... Jets RW Spencer Machacek assisted on Kane's goal, giving him nine points in 11 games this season. Seven of the points have come on the road.
Top Game Performances
 
Winnipeg   Florida
Andrew Ladd 2 Points Tomas Fleischmann 2
Andrew Ladd 2 Goals Tomas Fleischmann 1
Dustin Byfuglien 2 Assists Tomas Fleischmann 1
Bryan Little 1 Power Play Goals Kris Versteeg 1
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Ondrej Pavelec .895 Save Percentage Jose Theodore .833
Ondrej Pavelec 34 Saves Jose Theodore 25
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Winnipeg 30 5 1-2 1-2 4 29
Florida 38 4 1-2 1-2 4 28
Upcoming Games
  • Florida will play their next game on the road against Washington. The Panthers have a W/L % of .459 after a win and .465 after a loss.
  • Winnipeg will play their next game on the road against NY Islanders. The Jets have a W/L % of .389 after a win and .523 after a loss.