Perhaps the Florida Panthers are just what the Detroit Red Wings need.
Detroit, which has lost four straight games, is set to visit Florida in Sunrise on Thursday night. The last time the Red Wings won a game was on Nov. 2, defeating the host Panthers 5-3.
Since then, the Red Wings have scored a total of just five goals in four games. For the season, just five teams through Tuesday have averaged fewer goals per game than Detroit (2.58).
Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat said “a couple of lapses” cost his team in a 3-2 loss at St. Louis on Tuesday.
“We’ve got to be better creating stuff in the first two periods,” DeBrincat said. “We’ve got to work harder around the net.”
The Red Wings did get good news on Tuesday as Mason Appleton and Marco Kasper returned from injuries. Appleton had four hits after missing 16 games with an undisclosed injury. Kasper had six face-off wins after missing 17 games with an upper-body injury.
Lucas Raymond leads Detroit in assists (12) and points (18). DeBrincat is second in points (16), and Viktor Arvidsson is third (15). Arvidsson also leads the team with eight goals.
Moritz Seider, who scored on Tuesday, leads Red Wings defensemen in points (11).
John Gibson took the loss in goal on Tuesday, falling to 4-6-1 with an .866 save percentage and a 3.43 goals-against average.
Daniil Tarasov, who was Florida’s backup goalie last season, beat the Panthers on Nov. 2. Since then, however, he is 0-3-0. For the season, Tarasov is 2-3-2 with a .919 save percentage and a 2.10 GAA.
The Panthers are coming off a 4-1 win in Columbus on Tuesday. Florida goalie Jacob Markstrom made 37 saves in the contest.
“It’s an important game after losing a couple here,” Markstrom said. “The guys played an unbelievable game. Everyone played hard — all four lines.”
Florida’s power play has been a key part of the team this season. Over seven of the past eight games, Florida has posted at least one goal with the man advantage, including Sam Bennett’s first of his two scores on Tuesday. In the other game, the Nov. 2 home loss to Detroit, the Panthers scored a shorthanded goal.
“The power play has been great,” Bennett said. “We had a slow start to the season. But over the past 10 games, it’s been quicker and a lot crisper. We’re able to score a lot of big goals.”
Florida’s Matthew Tkachuk has a five-game point streak, posting seven assists during that span. For the season, he leads the Panthers in assists (23) and points (27).
Three Panthers players are tied for the lead in goals with 10: Brady Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe.
Reinhart needs one more goal to reach 200 with the Panthers. His goal on Tuesday moved him past Jonathan Huberdeau for second place on Florida’s all-time list. Only Aleksander Barkov, with 286, has more goals in a Panthers uniform. Reinhart has 333 career goals including 134 with the Buffalo Sabres (2014-21).
Markstrom is 5-3-1 with a .900 save percentage and a 2.56 GAA in 10 games this season. Backup Akira Schmid has an identical win-loss record to go with an .886 save percentage and a 3.00 GAA.
The Panthers, who won consecutive Stanley Cup titles in 2024 and 2025 before missing the playoffs last season, continue to impress their coach, Paul Maurice.
“I love our fight,” Maurice said after Tuesday’s win.