Red Wings beat Panthers in shootout
SUNRISE, Fla. -- Thomas Vanek and Frans Nielsen scored in the shootout and rookie goalie Jared Coreau won his first NHL game as the Detroit Red Wings defeated the Florida Panthers 4-3 on Friday night at the BB&T Center.
The 25-year-old Coreau made just his second NHL start.
Detroit rallied from a 3-1 third-period deficit and spoiled an attempt by Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo to move into sole possession of fifth place on the NHL career wins list. Luongo and Terry Sawchuk are tied at 447 wins.
The Panthers (15-14-6) got goals from Reilly Smith, Jason Demers and Derek MacKenzie. However, Smith left the game in the second period after taking a hard hit from Niklas Kronwall.
Detroit (15-15-4) also got goals from Anthony Mantha, Drew Miller and Nielsen. Miller scored with 18:24 left in third. Nielsen scored with 6:09 left in the third.
But the Wings' power play, which ranks last in the NHL, went 0 for 5. In their past 11 games, the Wings are 1-for-37 with the man advantage.
Florida drew first blood by scoring on its power play after a hooking penalty was called on Xavier Ouellet. Smith's high wrist shot with 2:20 left in the first period beat Coreau to his glove side. Demers and Jussi Jokinen earned assists.
Detroit tied the score just 12 seconds into the second period. Henrik Zetterberg stole the puck in the Florida end and fed to Mantha, who did some nifty work to get the puck to his forehand before beating Luongo.
The Panthers answered just 77 seconds later, taking a 2-1 lead on Demers' high wrist shot from the point, which beat Coreau to the blocker side. Aleksander Barkov and Jaromir Jagr earned assists on the play.
Florida increased its lead to 3-1 with 9:33 left in the second period. Michael Matheson threaded a cross-ice pass to MacKenzie, who shot at an open net before Coreau could adjust.
The Panthers appeared to make it 4-1 with 5:42 left in the second on a shot by Keith Yandle. But the goal was waived off because Florida's Nick Bjugstad was in the crease.
NOTES: Detroit G Jimmy Howard (knee sprain) will be out a lot longer than the original one-week timetable. Red Wings GM Ken Holland said Friday that Howard, 32, will miss four-to-six weeks. Howard, who missed six games earlier this season due to a groin injury, ranks fourth in NHL in save percentage (.934) and sixth in goals-against average (1.96). ... Detroit scratched D Mike Green (lower-body injury), RW Tomas Jurco and D Brian Lashoff. ... Florida scratched D Dylan McIlrath, LW Shawn Thornton and C Denis Malgin. ... The Panthers are off until they host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday. The Panthers host the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday and close the calendar year by playing at the Dallas Stars on Dec. 31. ... The Red Wings return home to face the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday. Detroit closes its calendar year by playing at the Ottawa Senators on Thursday.