Red Wings Strike Early in Third Period to Defeat Panthers 5-3

The Detroit Red Wings didn't waste much time taking control of Monday night's game against the Florida Panthers.

After entering the third period tied at two, the Red Wings scored twice in a span of 45 seconds to take a two-goal lead before holding on for a 5-3 victory at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida.

Justin Faulk and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard scored the decisive goals, helping the Red Wings improve to 7-5-3 while snapping Florida's three-game winning streak.

The victory was the Red Wings' third in four games, improving their record to 6-2-1 over their last nine contests.

The Red Wings received goals from five different players, including Carter Mazur, who scored the first goal of his NHL career.

Mazur opened the scoring at 5:26 of the first period, beating Panthers goaltender Jacob Markstrom with a wrist shot as Moritz Seider picked up the assist.

The Panthers responded when Sam Reinhart scored his eighth goal of the season with 5:41 remaining in the opening period, sending the teams into the intermission tied at one.

The Red Wings regained the lead just 1:26 into the second period when Alex DeBrincat scored his seventh goal of the season.

The Panthers answered again, this time while shorthanded.

Aaron Ekblad scored at 15:25 of the second period, converting a backhand opportunity to tie the game at two. It was Ekblad's first goal of the season and third shorthanded goal of his NHL career.

With the game tied entering the third period, the Red Wings needed less than three minutes to seize control.

Faulk scored on the power play at 2:08 and then 45 seconds later, Brandsegg-Nygard beat Markstrom with a wrist shot from the slot, extending the Red Wings' lead to 4-2.

Brandsegg-Nygard finished with a goal and an assist while recording seven hits in 16:52 of ice time.

The Panthers weren't finished.

Sam Bennett scored with 3:20 remaining in regulation, redirecting a shot during a six-on-five opportunity to cut the Red Wing advantage to one.

But the Red Wings prevented the Panthers from completing the comeback.

Emmitt Finnie scored into an empty net with three seconds remaining, securing the victory. Seider picked up his second assist of the evening on the play.

Red Wings goaltender Daniil Tarasov stopped 23 of 26 shots against his former team. Tarasov spent the previous season serving as Sergei Bobrovsky's backup in Florida.

Markstrom made 24 saves for the Panthers, who fell to 8-5-2.

The Red Wings finished with a 29-26 advantage in shots on goal.

The victory provided another encouraging result for a Red Wings team attempting to establish consistency in the competitive Atlantic Division.

The Red Wings have now earned 13 of a possible 18 points over their last nine games, although the division standings remain tightly packed.

They won't have much time to celebrate as they return to action tonight when they visit the Tampa Bay Lightning.

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