SUNRISE, Fla. – The Florida Panthers will look to build off a strong win on the road when they return home to host the Detroit Red Wings at Amerant Bank Arena on Thursday.
Sitting just one point out of first place in the Atlantic Division, the Panthers grinded their way to a 2-1 shootout win on the second half of a back-to-back at New Jersey on Tuesday.
“I think it’s about ourselves and playing our game,” captain Aleksander Barkov said when asked about the divisional clash with Detroit. “We’ve been finding it the last few games. I think just play the same way, and keep building on that.”
Matching a career high with his 10th goal of the season, Jesper Boqvist netted the lone goal for the Panthers in regulation against the Devils, breaking the ice in a very tight third period.
In the shootout, Barkov and Anton Lundell each scored for the Panthers, while Spencer Knight, who made 26 saves in regulation and overtime, stopped two of three Devils shooters to lock in the win.
Owning an 18-10-2 record, Sergei Bobrovsky will get the start against the Red Wings.
In his career against Detroit, Bobrovsky boasts an eye-popping .938 save percentage.
“I think we did the right thing the whole game,” Barkov said of the win in New Jersey.
Missing four of the last five games, Aaron Ekblad, a workhorse on the top defensive pair, will remain out of the lineup against the Red Wings as he works his way back from an undisclosed injury.
That being said, his return doesn’t seem too far off.
"I don't know that it's Anaheim at home (on Saturday), but we're feeling fairly confident right now that he plays on the road trip,” head coach Paul Maurice said. “Hopefully, the first game of the trip.”
Getting back over .500, Detroit has fought its way back into contention at 20-19-4.
Moving to within four points of a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, the Red Wings ripped off seven straight wins before suffering a 6-3 loss to the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday.
During their winning streak, the Red Wings were clicking on offense, outscoring the opposition 31-17 while converting on a 52% of their power plays and averaging 4.43 goals per game.
During their streak-snapping loss to the Sharks, the Red Wings stumbled defensively as they surrendered four goals to the Sharks to let their 3-2 lead slip away in the final frame.
Lucas Raymond leads Detroit in scoring with 47 points (18 goals, 29 assists), while Dylan Larkin sits in second with 38 points (18 goals, 20 assists). In addition to ranking third on the team in points (36), Alex DeBrincat paces the team with 19 goals, including eight on the power play.
Since hiring Todd McLellan to replace Derek Lalonde as head coach on Dec. 26, Detroit is 7-2-0.
“I think Todd’s done a great job of almost harnessing them a little bit to a defensive game,” Maurice said. “Their expected goals since he’s taken over is number one in the league at even-strength against. They’re a built, in a little way, like us. They’ve got some skill, some high-end guys up front that can make plays, but they certainly collapse in their own end and put a way bigger attention to detail on defense.”
Fresh off a two-goal performance against the Sharks, Vladimir Tarasenko, who helped the Panthers capture last year’s Stanley Cup after coming over from the Ottawa Senators at the trade deadline, has notched 18 points (six goals, 12 assists) in his first season with Detroit.
This game will mark Tarasenko’s first against the Panthers since winning the Cup.
“He was important for us,” Barkov said. “Obviously he’d been in the Cup Final and won the Cup. He brought that to us, that veteran leadership. He worked really hard. It was fun to watch him in practice and in the games with how hard he shoots the puck and how hard he works still. Just an unbelievable teammate. He brought everything to us.”
At the time of this writing, Detroit has yet to confirm a starting goaltender.
Owning a 10-9-2 record with a .903 save percentage, Cam Talbot has started three of the last four games for the Red Wings.
THEY SAID IT
“They’ve been playing real good lately. Skilled forwards and a good power play. It’s going to be a good challenge for us.” – Gustav Forsling on the Red Wings
“Same as always. Defense first. No cheating and nothing like that. Just be hard on the pucks and play a hard game.” – Aleksander Barkov on Florida’s identity
FIVE CATS STATS
- Sam Reinhart leads the NHL in shorthanded goals (5) and points (6).
- The Panthers are tied for first in the NHL with four shootout wins.
- Sergei Bobrovsky owns a 27-6-2 career record vs. the Red Wings.
- Anton Lundell has recorded seven multi-point games this season.
- The Panthers are 8-1-1 when Matthew Tkachuk scores a goal.
PROJECTED LINEUP (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)
Forwards
Matthew Tkachuk – Aleksander Barkov – Sam Reinhart
Eetu Luostarinen – Sam Bennett – Mackie Samoskevich
Carter Verhaeghe – Anton Lundell – Jesper Boqvist
A.J. Greer – Tomas Nosek – Evan Rodrigues
Defensemen
Gustav Forsling – Dmitry Kulikov
Niko Mikkola – Nate Schmidt
Tobias Bjornfot – Uvis Balinskis
Goaltenders
Sergei Bobrovsky
Spencer Knight
RECENT TRANSACTIONS:
- Jan. 6: D Tobias Bjornfot recalled from Charlotte (AHL)
- Dec. 23: F Rasmus Asplund loaned to Charlotte (AHL)
HOW TO WATCH/LISTEN
When: Thursday, Jan. 16 at 7 p.m. ET
Where: Amerant Bank Arena – Sunrise, FL
TV & Streaming: ESPN
Radio: 560 WQAM (Dade/Broward); 92.1 WZZR-FM (Palm Beach); 100.3 WCTH (Florida Keys); Panthers App; SiriusXM App & Streaming 931
Tickets: Click Here
