Florida Panthers
Motor Kitty: Florida Panthers 2, Detroit Red Wings 0
On a night in which Sasha Barkov became the Florida Panthers all-time leader in games played, his team did what it usually does against the Detroit Red Wings: Win.
Barkov’s Panthers continued their dominance over the Red Wings Thursday as Florida extended its winning streak to 10 with a hard-fought 2-0 win at Little Caesars Arena.
Of 33 games played either at Joe Louis Arena or LCA, the Panthers have won 21 of them.
Florida is 12-2 in the Red Wings’ new palace in downtown Detroit.
Sergei Bobrovsky again played a big role as he continues to confound the Wings.
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Bobrovsky, now 25-6-1 against Detroit, made 22 saves in the win as he got his 39th shutout in his 650th NHL game.
Milestone, indeed.
Unlike past games against Detroit, this one did not come easily.
Florida (5-3-1) dominated what was a scoreless first, outshooting Detroit 10-6 but took aim at former Panthers goalie James Reimer 26 times in that opening 20 minutes.
Reimer certainly did everything he could to keep his Red Wings (6-4-1) in it.
In the second, Detroit’s high-octane power play got a number of shots at Bobrovsky but Florida shut things down as the Wings went into the third 0-for-4 with the man advantage.
The Panthers were also 0-4 on the power play.
The only goal in the first two periods came off a wacky play as Steven Lorentz charged in and fired off a shot.
The puck went off Reimer’s glove, flew up over his head and hit the crossbar before hitting him in the back and settling at the back of the net.
In the third, the two teams kept coming at each other and each had a power play chance.
Florida ended up going 0-for-5 on the power play — but that’s a win as Detroit’s No. 4 power play also ended up going 0-for-5.
Anton Lundell all but ended things with his empty net goal — his first of the season — with 1:12 remaining.
Florida now has a four-game point streak (3-0-1) heading into Chicago.
GOALS OF THE GAME
- Panthers 1, Red Wings 0 (19:08, 2nd): Moments after Florida’s fourth power play attempt ended, Steven Lorentz gets one past James Reimer in an odd way. Lorentz’s shot on the fly went off Reimer’s glove, went over his head, hit the crossbar, went off his back and found its way home. Just they way you draw them up.
- Panthers 2, Red Wings 0 (18:48, 3rd EN): Anton Lundell ices it with Reimer on the bench. First goal of the season for Lundell.
GR’S 3 STARS OF THE GAME
1. Sergei Bobrovsky, Florida (22 saves, SO)
2. James Reimer, Detroit (25 saves)
3. Steven Lorentz, Florida (GWG)
PANTHERS ON DECK
FLORIDA PANTHERS @ CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
- When: Saturday, 8 p.m.
- Where: United Center, Chicago
- TV/Streaming: Bally Sports Florida, ESPN+
- Radio: WPOW 96.5 FM-2; WBZT 1230-AM (West Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); WCZR 101.7-FM (Treasure Coast); SiriusXM
- Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL/Panthers App
- Last Season: Tied 1-1
- This season: @Chicago, Saturday; @Florida, Sunday Nov. 12
- All-time regular season series: Blackhawks lead 28-18-4, 3 ties
- Up Next for the Panthers: Monday vs. Columbus, 7 p.m.