Nyquist nets Red Wings shootout win vs. Panthers
SUNRISE, Fla. -- Gustav Nyquist scored the deciding goal in the shootout as the Detroit Red Wings snapped their six-game losing streak, defeating the Florida Panthers 3-2 on Saturday night at the BB&T Center.
Jimmy Howard had 44 saves as the Red Wings improved to 5-6-1. Andreas Athanasiou and Nyquist also scored for Detroit.
James Reimer made 36 saves as Florida (4-5-1) fell to 3-1-1 at home.
Detroit opened the scoring with 5:28 expired in the first period. Athanasiou, in just his second game since ending a contract dispute, buried a one-timer from the slot after a pass from Dylan Larkin. It was Athanasiou's first goal of the season.
The Panthers tied the score at 1 with 4:19 expired in the second period. Evgenii Dadonov's shot went past Aleksander Barkov's screen and was deflected in by Jonathan Huberdeau. It was Huberdeau's fourth goal of the season.
Less than three minutes later, that same line struck again in similar fashion. Dadonov created the play, Barkov was setting a screen in front, and Huberdeau scored, this time banking his shot off the left post and the right skate of Nyquist.
But Detroit claimed Barkov -- who was being shoved forward by Nyquist -- was guilty of goaltender interference. The goal was overturned on review, and the score remained 1-1.
With 8:08 expired in the second, Florida got another opportunity and this time converted after Athanasiou was caught holding Barkov. Fifteen seconds later, Florida had a 2-1 lead as Vincent Trocheck flipped the puck on net, and Dadonov deflected it past Howard.
Two minutes later, Nyquist knifed his way past Panthers defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Alex Petrovic, putting a shot on goal. Reimer stopped the shot, but Nyquist got his own rebound for his third goal of the season.
NOTES: Florida was without three injured players: LW Connor Brickley (upper body), LW Colton Sceviour (upper) and RW Jared McCann (lower). ... Florida recalled F Chase Balisy, 25, from Springfield of the American Hockey League. Balisy, who was used on the third line on Saturday, scored 17 goals and had 45 points in 76 games for Springfield last season. ... Florida D MacKenzie Weegar was a healthy scratch. ... Detroit D Danny DeKeyser (lower body) was out. ... Detroit scratched LW David Booth and RW Luke Witkowski. ... This is the second of a five-game Panthers homestand. Florida hosts the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday. ... Detroit returns home to face the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday.