Red Wings Fly By Panthers

     The Florida Panthers returned from the Christmas break with a 4-3 defeat to the Detroit Red Wings at BB&T Center on Saturday night. The Panthers had beaten Detroit in their two previous encounters in early December. The Cats, who lost their third straight game, play at home against the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday.
     The Red Wings were able to score on their first power play at 3:47 of the first period. Niklas Kronwall had the puck on the right point and passed it to Daniel Alfredsson at the top left circle as he smashed a slapshot by Scott Clemmensen for a Detroit(18-13-9) 1-0 lead.
     They scored on their second power play opportunity to extend their margin to 2-0 at 14:29. Pavel Datysuk kept the puck in on the left point and sent a cross-ice pass to the right circle. Henrik Zetterberg, who played in his first game since December 1, snapped a shot that ringed around the inner half of the Panthers cage for his 12th goal this year.
     In the second period, Florida(14-20-5) converted on their third power-play attempt with 7:08 left. Brian Campbell carried the puck into the Red Wings zone and headed to the left circle. He flipped a pass ahead to Sean Bergenheim in the crease area and he shoveled a backhand shot over the right shoulder of Jonas Gustavsson to make it 2-1. It was his second straight game with a goal and his sixth tally this season.
     The Panthers evened the game at 2-2 with 5:01 to go as Nick Bjugstad intercepted a pass from the right point and went on a breakaway. He faked a shot, went wide and put in a forehand shot for his eighth goal.
     The Red Wings regained the lead as they got two goals within the first two minutes of the third period. Kyle Quincey stopped the puck at the top of the zone and passed it to Brendan Smith at the top right circle. He blistered a slapshot over the right shoulder of Clemmensen at 42 seconds for his first goal this year.
     They added another tally at 1:20 when Jacub Kindl fired a slapshot from the right point that was saved and Gustav Nyquist swept in for the rebound on the left of the crease and scored.
     Bergenheim picked up his second goal of the contest at 4:23 to close the gap 4-3. Dylan Olsen took a shot from the left corner that bounced out to the high slot where Bergenheim released a wrist shot into the cage.
     Gustavsson improved to 11-3-2 this year as he made 30 saves for the Wings. Clemmensen stopped 27 shots as he took the loss and dropped to 4-4-1. There were a whole slew of penalties as Detroit was 2-for-5 with the man advantage while the Cats were 1-for-6.