Tkachuk scores hat trick, Panthers top Red Wings to end four-game skid

DETROIT -- Matthew Tkachuk scored a hat trick, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 28 saves for the Florida Panthers, who ended a four-game losing streak with a 3-1 win against the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena on Friday.

It was Tkachuk's first hat trick this season and sixth in the NHL.

He put Florida in front 2-1 just 35 seconds into the third period when he set up to the left of the net and tipped Sam Reinhart's slap shot from the left face-off circle. He completed the hat trick with an empty-net goal at 18:08.

“This is a weird year,” Tkachuk said. “We’re not going to make any excuses, but we all know one of the biggest reasons for why we are where we are is all the man games lost. I promise we’re going to be back there again. Hopefully next year.”

The Panthers (31-29-3), who had lost nine of their past 11 games, concluded a four-game road trip 1-3-0. Bobrovsky, who had been considered a possible trade piece, stopped all 11 shots he faced in the third period. 

“I am absolutely not surprised he played as well as he did tonight," Florida coach Paul Maurice said. “He’s been in the most pressure-filled game in our sport, Game 7, and he shut the door. He has that great ability.”

Alex DeBrincat scored the lone goal for the Red Wings (35-21-7), who have lost seven of their past 10 games (3-5-2). John Gibson made 20 saves.

“We were a little flat tonight, but this is a tough time of year to win games,” Detroit defenseman Ben Chiarot said. “Everyone is scraping and clawing. It’s playoff-style hockey down the stretch.”

The Red Wings have been outscored 20-8 at 5-on-5 in their past 10 games.

“I thought we created a number of opportunities including some real dangerous ones,” Detroit coach Todd McLellan said. “But their goaltender played really well and we just didn’t finish.”

Detroit captain Dylan Larkin left the game midway through the third period after losing an edge and having his right knee buckle following an awkward fall.

“He obviously got crumpled up there,” McLellan said. “He’ll get checked out. We don’t think it is going to be long term, but he needs to be looked at.”

Tkachuk gave the Panthers a 1-0 lead at 11:06 of the first period, burying a snap shot from the slot over Gibson's glove and under the bar off Carter Verhaeghe's backhand pass from behind the net.

“He can’t have that much time and space, it is as simple as that,” McLellan said. “It’s hockey 101, the guy behind the net isn’t going to score, he’s going to get the puck into a scoring area, so we can’t leave the net front.”

DeBrincat tied it 1-1 during a 5-on-3 power play at 10:56 of the second period. Patrick Kane got possession of the puck after a face-off win by Larkin in the right circle, skated to the high slot and sent a wrist shot that deflected off the glass behind the net. The puck bounced forward and DeBrincat batted it out of the air past Bobrovsky.

Bobrovsky, however, stopped all 23 of Detroit’s shots at even strength.

“There's no other goalie we want to play in front of. He's the backbone,” Tkachuk said. “He's the biggest reason why we have two Stanley Cup rings.”

NOTES: The teams play again in Florida on Tuesday. ... Tkachuk's hat trick was his fourth with the Panthers, tying Aleksander Barkov and Olli Jokinen for the third-most in franchise history. ... Defenseman Justin Faulk, who was acquired earlier in the day from the St. Louis Blues, will join the Red Wings for the team's road game on Sunday against the New Jersey Devils.