Aleksander Barkov scored twice in the final eight minutes of regulation, helping the Florida Panthers rally to a 3-2 shootout win over the visiting Detroit Red Wings on Saturday afternoon at Sunrise, Fla.
Florida’s Sam Reinhart had the only goal in a three-round shootout.
Red Wings goalie Alex Lyon, who was Florida’s backup last season, was spectacular before falling short in the end. Lyon, who has lost 10 straight games, finished with 36 saves and two more in the shootout.
Robby Fabbri and Dylan Larkin scored for the Red Wings (36-30-8, 80 points), who are chasing the Washington Capitals for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Florida (47-22-5, 99 points), which has already clinched a playoff berth, trails the Boston Bruins by two points in the battle for first place in the Atlantic Division.
The Panthers’ Sergei Bobrovsky made 20 saves plus three more in the shootout. He has beaten the Red Wings more than any other team in the NHL, entering the day with a 26-6-2 record and a 1.80 goals-against average against Detroit. Two of his four shutouts this season have been over Detroit.
Detroit forward Patrick Kane returned to the lineup after missing Thursday’s game due to illness. He finished with one assist.
Larkin, who leads Detroit with 29 goals, took a shot off his left leg 28 seconds into the game. He returned later in the first period but left almost immediately. He returned again in the second and scored a goal that tied it 2-2 with four minutes remaining in regulation.
With 9:29 remaining in the opening period, Detroit got on the board with Fabbri’s power-play goal. After the puck went off the side boards, David Perron made a no-look, cross-ice pass to Fabbri, who ripped a shot from the right circle just inside the right post.
In the third period, Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad, sent to the penalty box for cross-checking Larkin, set up the goal that tied the score 1-1. After he had served the penalty, Ekblad sprinted out of the box and got a shot on goal. Barkov cleaned it up, knocking in the rebound.
Barkov gave Florida a 2-1 lead when his weak shot slipped past Lyon with 4:56 left in regulation. It was Lyon’s only true mistake of the game.
Detroit, skating four-on-three, tied the score 2-2 on Larkin’s power-play goal from just below the right circle. Larkin’s shot knuckled past Bobrovsky to the short side.
–Field Level Media
