SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 27 shots for his 45th career shutout, Aleksander Barkov had a short-handed goal and two assists, and the Florida Panthers beat the NHL-leading Winnipeg Jets 5-0 on Saturday night.
Sam Reinhart had three assists for Florida, which snapped a two-game slide and became the first team to take a five-goal lead on the Jets this season. Mackie Samoskevich,Evan Rodrigues,Nate Schmidt and Dmitry Kulikov also scored for the Atlantic Division leaders.
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Winnipeg Jets center Cole Perfetti (91) and Florida Panthers center Evan Rodrigues (17) go for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Florida Panthers center Evan Rodrigues, left, reacts after scoring against Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, right, during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov (16) and Winnipeg Jets center Gabriel Vilardi (13) go for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Florida Panthers right wing Mackie Samoskevich (25) and Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dylan DeMelo (2) go for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Florida Panthers center Evan Rodrigues, left, scores during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Winnipeg Jets, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Florida Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov (7) and Winnipeg Jets left wing Nikolaj Ehlers (27) go for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Florida Panthers defenseman Nate Schmidt (88) skates with the puck as Winnipeg Jets right wing Nino Niederreiter (62) pursues during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Florida Panthers center Anton Lundell (15) skates with he puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Winnipeg Jets, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Florida Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov (7) and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) defend the goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Winnipeg Jets, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Florida Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov (7) and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) defend the goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Winnipeg Jets, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Winnipeg goalie Connor Hellebuyck came into the night with an NHL-best 1.92 goals-against average. It rose to 2.14 after the Panthers beat him five times on 31 shots, and he took the loss for just the second time in 14 games this season.
Reinhart now has points in 10 straight games, had his fourth three-point game of the season and his first three-assist game in the regular season since he had four against Columbus on Dec. 10, 2023.
Jets: Despite going 0-2-0 in Florida — Winnipeg lost in Tampa Bay on Thursday — a 15-3-0 record is, by far, the best start in team history. Since hockey returned to Winnipeg in 2011, no Jets team ever had more than 11 wins through a season's first 18 games.
Panthers: Samoskevich was back in the lineup after not playing Thursday in a loss to New Jersey and made immediate impact with the game's opening goal — his third in his last seven games.
Bobrovsky made a big stop on a backhander by Mark Scheifele midway through the second period to keep Florida up 2-0. Rodrigues and Barkov added goals not long afterward to blow the game open for Florida.
The Panthers already have five short-handed goals this season (in 18 games). They had eight in the 2023-24 regular season (in 82 games).
The teams play again Tuesday in Winnipeg.
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Winnipeg Jets center Cole Perfetti (91) and Florida Panthers center Evan Rodrigues (17) go for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Florida Panthers center Evan Rodrigues, left, reacts after scoring against Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, right, during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov (16) and Winnipeg Jets center Gabriel Vilardi (13) go for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Florida Panthers right wing Mackie Samoskevich (25) and Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dylan DeMelo (2) go for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Florida Panthers center Evan Rodrigues, left, scores during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Winnipeg Jets, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Florida Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov (7) and Winnipeg Jets left wing Nikolaj Ehlers (27) go for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Florida Panthers defenseman Nate Schmidt (88) skates with the puck as Winnipeg Jets right wing Nino Niederreiter (62) pursues during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Florida Panthers center Anton Lundell (15) skates with he puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Winnipeg Jets, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Florida Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov (7) and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) defend the goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Winnipeg Jets, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Florida Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov (7) and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) defend the goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Winnipeg Jets, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump walked out to a roaring standing ovation just ahead of the start of the UFC pay-per-view card at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night, combining two things close to his heart: fierce battles inside the octagon and New York City.
Trump was accompanied by UFC President Dana White and the pair headed to their cageside seats to Kid Rock's “American Bad Ass."
UFC aired a video package of Trump's road to reclaiming the White House, calling it, “The great comeback in American History," while fans stood and applauded. Trump, wearing a red tie, pumped his fist toward the crowd when the video ended.
The president-elect also had his clenched fists pumping back and forth and briefly danced to the Village People’s “YMCA” just outside the cage. He later again thrust his fist skyward as “Takin’ Care of Business” played.
Elon Musk, picked by Trump to lead a new Department of Government Efficiency, and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., joined the president-elect and White at the Garden, as did Robert Kennedy Jr., Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Health and Human Services in his incoming administration.
Trump shook hands with the UFC broadcast team that included Joe Rogan. Rogan hosted Trump on his podcast for hours in the final stages of the campaign ahead of his election win last week. The announcers for the pay-per-view audience later declared, “Festive doesn’t even begin to describe” the scene before later proclaiming, “47’s in the building. Let’s go.”
The MSG crowd chanted “USA! USA!” right before the main card was about to start and then again throughout the action. After a year delay, Stipe Miocic is getting his shot at a third heavyweight championship reign when he battles current champion Jon Jones in the main event at UFC 309.
Trump is a longtime UFC enthusiast and frequent attendee of major fights. He made promoting hypermasculine tones a signature of his campaign — as he looked to further widen the gap among male voters between himself and his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.
Trump and his top supporters embraced alpha-male terms and often accentuated them with vulgar and demeaning language.
While campaigning, Trump appeared frequently on podcasts, gaming platforms, and with key supporters who described a vote for Trump as a way to demonstrate true manliness. While Trump taped a podcast with Rogan, who himself has spoken about hypermasculinity, Harris failed to do a similar appearance, citing scheduling conflicts.
A return to Madison Square Garden means revisiting the place where a comedian caused an uproar at a Trump rally last month by likening Puerto Rico to a “floating island of garbage.” Yet Trump continues to relish visits to New York, where he lived for decades, before moving to his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida.
Trump's son, Don Jr., also attended the fight.
Except for a day trip to Washington this week to meet for nearly two hours with President Joe Biden, and separately address House Republicans, Trump has been spending his time since his Election Day victory at Mar-a-Lago. The club has hosted galas and conservative events throughout the week.
Trump has been close to White for more than two decades.
White hosted a 2001 UFC battle at Trump Taj Mahal, a former casino-hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Trump has frequently attended UFC matches since – including during his 2024 campaign. Trump has turned up at fights recently with famous entourages, including White, musician Kid Rock and former Fox News Channel host Tucker Carlson.
In 2018, during Trump's first term, he and White starred in a UFC video where the then-president was called the “Combatant In Chief.”
As Trump has strengthened his grip on the national Republican Party over the last near-decade, White’s personal political profile has grown exponentially. White spoke at the 2016 and 2020 Republican conventions, and when the party gathered in Milwaukee this past July. He also addressed the crowd at Trump’s Florida victory party in the wee hours of the morning after Election Day.
“This is what happens when the machine comes after you,” White said then. “What you’ve seen over the last several years, this is what it looks like: couldn’t stop him. He keeps going forward. He doesn’t quit.”
Weissert reported from Palm Beach, Florida.
President-elect Donald Trump arrives at UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President-elect Donald Trump talks to CEO of UFC Dana White, left, as Elon Musk, second right, looks on at the UFC 309 mixed martial arts event, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
President-elect Donald Trump poses for a photo with Kid Rock and Elon Musk as they arrive at UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President-elect Donald Trump arrives at UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
People hold a flag as President-elect Donald Trump arrives at UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President-elect Donald Trump stands next to CEO of UFC Dana White, left, and Elon Musk, right, at the UFC 309 mixed martial arts event Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
President-elect Donald Trump poses for a photo with Dana White, Kid Rock and Elon Musk at UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President-elect Donald Trump attends UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Dana White, President-elect Donald Trump, Elon Musk and Kid Rock attend UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President-elect Donald Trump arrives at UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President-elect Donald Trump arrives at UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
FILE - Stipe Miocic in action against Francis Ngannou during a heavyweight championship mixed martial arts bout at UFC 220, Sunday, Jan. 21, 2018, in Boston. (AP Photo/Gregory Payan, File)
FILE - Jon Jones reacts after his victory over Ciryl Gane in a UFC 285 mixed martial arts heavyweight title bout Saturday, March 4, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker, File)
CEO of UFC Dana White speaks as speaksRepublican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump looks on at an election night watch party, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
House Speaker Mike Johnson of La., smiles as President-elect Donald Trump attends a meeting with House Republicans in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. (Allison Robbert/Pool via AP)
Elon Musk arrives before President-elect Donald Trump speaks during an America First Policy Institute gala at his Mar-a-Lago estate, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President-elect Donald Trump arrives to speak during an America First Policy Institute gala at his Mar-a-Lago estate, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
