The NHL schedule featured one game Sunday and the Florida Panthers rallied from a late 1-0 deficit to down the Red Wings, 2-1, in Detroit.
Brian Campbell scored the game-winner at 1:20 of extra time.
“Great pass by [Jonathan] Huberdeau when we had the other guy (Jussi Jokinen) driving the net,” Panthers coach Gerard Gallant said.
Roberto Luongo stopped 28 in win over Wings – file photo by Lewis Bleiman
With just over five minutes to go in regulation, Reilly Smith got the Panthers even at one with a deflection.
Roberto Luongo made 28 saves for the win and was solid throughout.
“We felt we had played well,” Luongo said. “Just in the third period, we wanted to keep doing what we had been doing. Their goalie was playing pretty well, so we wanted to get some bodies in front of the net. … It feels good to be able to tie it up in the third period, make a few saves and be rewarded with the win in overtime.”
Dylan Larkin scored the lone Wings goal; Detroit fell to 12-8-4 with the loss.
“I didn’t think we were good enough tonight,” Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. “I think we can play much better than we played. I think the second half of the first period was where we played the best. We had a lot of zone time during that stretch. It seemed like we just didn’t have enough energy, we didn’t win enough puck races, didn’t win enough puck battles. So overall, we still sat with a lead late and disappointed to give up that lead. But we need to be better for 60 [minutes] before that.”
Petr Mrazek absorbed the loss on 30 saves.
“I think everyone is frustrated with the loss,” Larkin said. “I think it seems like it’s happening more and more and I think we just have to bear down and close out the game.”
Mrazek was frustrated by the loss considering the Wings had held the lead since early in the second period.
“We have to close these games early in the game rather than later,” Mrazek said. “You cannot wait until the end of the game. It happened a couple of time this year that we let some goals in.”
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