Panthers Defeat Red Wings In Overtime

     The Florida Panthers squeezed by the Detroit Red Wings 3-2 in overtime at Little Caesars Arena on Saturday night. The Panthers increased their point streak to five games since they opened the 2020-21 season. 

     The Cats won their seventh consecutive game against the Red Wings. The Panthers are 8-0-1 in their last nine contests versus Detroit. 

     Both teams combined for four goals in the first period. Florida(4-0-1) scored a power-play goal just 3:06 into the contest. Aaron Ekblad sent the puck down to Jonathan Huberdeau in the low left circle. He centered it and Aleksander Barkov put in a one-time shot from the low slot. Barkov tied Scott Mellanby for second all-time in Panthers history with his 157th career goal. 

     Detroit(2-5-2) tied it up 1-1 at the 15:02 mark. Taro Hirose backhanded a shot from the right wing that was deflected by Vladislav Namestnikov in the right of the crease and Anthony Mantha scored on a snap shot from the low slot.

     The Red Wings took the lead 2-1 with 3:01 remaining in the period. Dylan Larkin took a slap shot from the right circle which was saved by Sergei Bobrovsky, but Tyler Bertuzzi smacked in the rebound from the top of the crease for his fifth goal of the season. 

     The Panthers added another goal on the man advantage with under one second left in the first to even it up 2-2. Keith Yandle compiled his second goal of the campaign on a wrist shot from the low right circle with assists from Patric Hornqvist and Barkov. 

     In overtime, Florida got the victory at 2:45. Anthony Duclair carried the puck through the right circle, made a cross-ice pass and Aleksi Heponiemi got his first career goal in his first NHL game with a tap-in shot. He became the fourth player in NHL history to score an overtime goal in his NHL debut. Heponiemi is the fifth Panthers rookie to score an overtime tally.