Panthers beat Blue Jackets 4-1, end skid

The Florida Panthers ended a two-game losing streak with a 4-1 road win over the Columbus Blue Jackets, extending their run to 12 wins in the teams’ last 13 meetings. Sam Bennett scored twice, while Lars Eller and Sam Reinhart also found the net; Aaron Ekblad had three assists and Jacob Markstrom made 37 saves. Florida built a 2-0 lead in the second period, and after Ivan Provorov pulled Columbus within one late in the frame, Bennett restored the Panthers’ two-goal cushion in the third. The result underscored Columbus’ struggles in the middle period, where the team has been outscored 23-8 this season, despite recent improvement in its overall defensive numbers.