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 Detroit has three losses (one in regulation and two in shootouts)
in its past 10 games and two have been to Florida.
Centers Vincent Trocheck and Brandon Pirri scored in the shootout to
give the Panthers a 3-2 win over the Red Wings on Friday night at
Joe Louis Arena.
Florida beat Detroit 4-3 at Joe Louis Arena on Dec. 2.
"It's tough to win in this building. They're a real good hockey
team," Panthers coach Gerard Gallant said. "I watched them the other
night and they dominated Toronto but lost (2-1 in a shootout)."
Left wingers Tomas Fleischmann and Jonathan Huberdeau scored for
Florida (12-8-7) in the first 60 minutes. Goalie Roberto Luongo made
23 saves in regulation and in overtime and stopped center Pavel
Datsyuk and left wingerGustav Nyquist in the shootout.
"I thought 5-on-5 we played really well. We played the game we
wanted to play and we took it to the shootout. And in the shootout,
anything can happen," Luongo said. "I thought we had a great 60
minute game, from beginning to end. They've got a great team and we
battled."
 Center Riley Sheahan and Nyquist got the goals for Detroit (17-6-7 )
in regulation. Jimmy Howard made 29 saves in the first 65 minutes.
"You want to get the extra point, for sure, but I thought we did a
lot of good things. They're a good team, they play good and there
was not a lot of room out there," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said.
"I thought we had the better of the scoring chances in the third
period but Luongo made two great saves on the power play ... They
didn't get much in the third but they won the shootout so the bottom
line is they get two points."
It was Detroit's second consecutive shootout loss, and it is 1-5 in
shootouts this season and 8-15 in the past two seasons.
"When you come this far you want to get two points, but we can't
find a way to get through a shootout so, obviously, it's tough," Red
Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg said. "I don't think it should have
gone to overtime. Once again we had a lot of chances. We have to put
the puck in the net. We got some good power play, created a lot of
chances."
The game was tied 2-2 after the first period.
Sheahan opened the scoring with a power-play goal 5:03 into the
game. He put in a rebound for his seventh goal.
Fleischmann tied it at 1 at 7:09 when he slammed in a one-timer from
the slot for his third goal.
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An uncharacteristic turnover by center Pavel Datsyuk in front of his
own net led to Huberdeau's goal, which gave Florida a 2-1 lead with
6:05 left in the first period. Huberdeau beat Howard from the inside
edge of the left circle for Huberdeau's third goal.
"We played well and these points tonight, we need these two points,"
Huberdeau said. "We're a good team. When we want to play, we're a
great team. That's what we want to do: Play hard and not quit."
Nyquist tied the game 2-2 on a power-play goal with 39 seconds
remaining in the opening period. His spin-around backhander from the
inside edge of the left circle deflected off Florida defenseman
Willie Mitchell for Nyquist's 14th goal and second in two games.
Red Wings forward Stephen Weiss left the game after the second
period with a shoulder injury. Babcock said he is out for the game
Saturday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Toronto.
NOTES: Detroit D Dan DeKeyser didn't play Friday night because of an
upper-body injury. D Xavier Ouellet was recalled from Grand Rapids
of the AHL and replaced DeKeyser in the lineup. ... Florida RW
Scottie Upshall missed the game because of a lower-body injury. ...
Red Wings RW Justin Abdelkader remained out with a shoulder injury.
... Panthers C Aleksander Barkov remained sidelined with a hand
injury. ... Florida coach Gerard Gallant spent most of his playing
career with Detroit. ... Red Wings forward Stephen Weiss is a former
Panther. ... Florida D Aaron Ekblad is from the Windsor, Ontario,
suburb of Belle River. Windsor is across the Detroit River from
Detroit. ... The Panthers recalled D Shane O'Brien from San Antonio
of the AHL.
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