SUNRISE, Fla. – Aleksander Barkov scored twice in the third period to get Florida going, Sam Reinhart scored the lone shootout goal and the Panthers rallied to beat the Detroit Red Wings 3-2 on Saturday.
It was the first time Barkov — in his 11th season in the NHL, all with the Panthers — had ever scored multiple third-period goals on home ice. He picked the right time to do it, and the two points in the standings pulled Florida, at least temporarily, back atop the Atlantic Division with the Boston Bruins.
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Boston plays at Washington later Saturday.
“We didn’t like our first period,” Barkov said. “We had some chances but I don’t think that was our game. So after the first period, in the second and third, we started playing a lot harder and that looked more like us. I think we found the way to win and we just need to believe that that’s how we need to play.”
Sergei Bobrovsky stopped all three shots he faced in the shootout and made 20 saves for Florida, which won for the second time in its last eight games.
Dylan Larkin, who took a shot to the inside of his knee 28 seconds into the game and briefly left later in the first period, scored a game-tying goal with four minutes left in regulation for the Red Wings. Robby Fabbri also scored for Detroit to open the game.
Both of those goals came with the man-advantage. Former Panthers goalie Alex Lyon, who played a huge role in getting Florida to the playoffs a year ago, stopped 36 shots for Detroit.
“He was excellent,” Detroit coach Derek Lalonde said. “And he had to be.”
The Red Wings picked up a point and moved within one of Washington, pending the Saturday night outcome, for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
“An absolute huge point,” Lalonde said. “Under the circumstances, you probably want both points, but all that said that’s points in two of our last three games.”
Barkov told Bally Sports Florida after the game that the Panthers got yelled at a bit after a lackluster first period. He took coach Paul Maurice’s words to heart and had two goals in the third just 2:43 apart.
“That’s what you want out of your best player,” Reinhart said. “When we’re playing our best, he’s leading the way.”
UP NEXT
Red Wings: Visit Tampa Bay on Monday.
Panthers: Visit Toronto on Monday.
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl