Panthers Overcome Red Wings

     The Florida Panthers played their final game of the 2018 calendar year and came back from three goals down to defeat the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 in a shootout at Little Caesars Arena on Monday night. It was the first time in Panthers history that the team had overcame a three-goal deficit on the road to win a game.
     It was the second time both clubs met in Detroit in the last nine days. The Panthers have won six of their last eight games. The Red Wings are 1-6-3 in their last 10 games.
     The Red Wings got out in front 1-0 at 5:15 of the first period. Luke Witkowski sent out the puck up the right-wing wall and it was grazed by Justin Abdelkader to center ice. Andreas Athanasiou got the puck on a breakaway, skated through the slot, faked a backhand shot and then put a forehand shot by Roberto Luongo.
     Detroit(15-19-7) expanded the gap to 2-0 with 2:32 left in the first. Dylan Larkin angled a pass from the top of the zone to Gustav Nyquist on the left wing. He carried the puck around Aaron Ekblad into the slot area and scored on a backhand shot.
     They made it a three-goal margin with 1:33 remaining in the period. Tyler Bertuzzi won a faceoff in the left circle to Frans Nielsen. He tapped it back to Thomas Vanek at the top left circle and he released a wrist shot for a tally against his former team. James Reimer replaced in net for the Panthers after the first frame.
     In the second period, Florida(17-15-5) closed it to 3-1 at the 6:19 mark. Jared McCann put in a shorthanded goal as he scored on his own rebound from the crease area. Assists on the play were credited to Juho Lammikko and Mark Pysyk. It was the first shorthanded goal by the Cats this season.
     The Panthers made it 3-2 at 12:11. Ekblad sent a clearing down the ice from behind his own net and Frank Vatrano centered the puck from the red line. Henrik Borgstrom received it in the neutral zone, carried it through the right circle and slipped the puck past Jimmy Howard with a soft backhand shot.
     Florida tied the contest with 4:45 left in the second. Jayce Hawryluk recoved the puck in the Panther zone and made a left-outlet pass to Colton Sceviour at the Red Wings blue line. He skated into the left corner and found Hawryluk on a centering pass in the crease for a one-time shot. It was the third career goal for him.
     In the shootout, the Panthers scored on their first attempt. Jonathan Huberdeau was able put the puck in the Detroit cage for the victory.