Tuesday, March 30, 2021

Panthers Blitz Red Wings

     The Florida Panthers returned home from a five-game road trip and beat the Detroit Red Wings 4-1 at BB&T Center on Tuesday night. It was the first game that the Cats played since the left leg injury to Aaron Ekblad. Jonathan Huberdeau tied Roberto Luongo for fourth all-time in franchise history playing in his 572nd game. 
     Florida(23-9-4) blasted out to a 1-0 lead just 17 seconds into the first period. Huberdeau won a faceoff in the left circle. Mason Marchment put a pass into the low slot and Huberdeau slipped a soft wrist shot by Calvin Pickard for his 14th goal of the season. Huberdeau expanded his three-game point streak with his third goal in two games. Marchment picked up a point for the first time in 10 games. 
     The Panthers extended it to 2-0 with 8:33 remaining in the first. Anthony Duclair backhanded a centering pass from the low left circle and Carter Verhaeghe scored on a snap shot from the low slot.
     The Cats made it a three-goal margin with 7:35 to go in the frame. Gustav Forsling snapped a shot from the right point and Brett Connolly redirected the puck from top of the crease. Connolly chalked up his 100th NHL goal on the play. The Red Wings made a change in goal as Pickard left the game for Thomas Greiss. 
     In the second period, Detroit(12-21-4) converted on a power-play goal at the 7:29 mark and closed it to 3-1. Filip Hronek passed the the puck from the left wing to Dylan Larkin in the left corner. He centered it and Filip Zadina rifled a slap shot from the right circle for his fourth goal of the campaign. Florida surrendered a power-play tally to the Red Wings for the first time in 10 meetings. The point streak for Hronek rose up to three games. 
    The Panthers increased their lead to 4-1 with 7:49 left in the second. Verhaeghe raced around the Red Wings cage and made a wraparound forehand shot past Greiss. It was Verhaeghe's team-high 17th goal of the year and fifth tally in the past three contests. Owen Tippett was credited with an assist to begin the play. 

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