DETROIT – Evgenii Dadonov and Mark Pysyk scored late in the first period and the Florida Panthers went on to beat the Detroit Red Wings 4-1 on Saturday night.
Florida's Aleksander Barkov restored a two-goal lead with 6:55 left. Sergei Bobrovsky had 27 saves for the Panthers, who have won a season-high four straight.
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Detroit has dropped four games in a row, giving the once-proud franchise an NHL-worst 12-33-4 record this season.
Dylan Larkin scored the 100th goal of his career with the Red Wings, and Jimmy Howard stopped 34 shots.
Larkin's goal pulled Detroit within a goal early in the second period, but the offensively challenged team could not get closer.
Bobrovsky looked sharp and appeared to finish the game healthy. Both were good signs for a team that will be without goaltender Chris Driedger for several weeks with what’s believed to be a groin injury.
Howard stopped the first 12 shots he faced before Florida scored on two of its final four shots in the first period.
Dadonov scored with 2:45 left in the opening period and Pysyk scored 1:25 later, giving the Panthers a 2-0 lead.
Larkin scored 5:15 into the second period, taking advantage of open ice after coming out of the penalty box and Darren Helm's long pass that set him up for a breakaway.
The Red Wings had an extra skater for a fifth time early in the third and failed to take advantage, getting only one shot on Bobrovsky.
Detroit had another power play midway through the third, but negated it 21 seconds later when Larkin was called for tripping.
Shortly thereafter, Bobrovsky stopped Frans Nielsen's breakaway shot and rebound attempt. Seconds later, Howard made a save when Barkov was alone in front of him with a chance to restore a two-goal lead.
Florida went on the power play with seven-plus minutes left and took advantage 15 seconds later. Barkov redirected the puck off Keith Yandle's pass that was intentionally wide of the net.
Denis Malgin scored an empty-net goal with 1:48 left, putting the Panthers up by three goals.
NOTES: Red Wings C Frans Nielsen left with a lower-body injury in the second period. ... Bobrovsky missed the previous two games with an upper-body injury. ... Detroit has a losing streak of at least four games for the fifth time this season. ... Dadonov has a team-high 21 goals.
UP NEXT
Panthers: Play at Minnesota on Monday night.
Red Wings: Play at Colorado on Monday night.
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