Panthers Host Red Wings in Atlantic Division Showdown

SUNRISE, Fla. — The Florida Panthers (26-16-3) return to Amerant Bank Arena on Thursday to face the Detroit Red Wings (20-19-4) in the first of three Atlantic Division matchups this season. The game, set for a 7 p.m. ET puck drop, will be nationally televised on ESPN.

The Panthers are coming off a 2-1 shootout victory over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday, snapping a two-game skid. Jesper Boqvist scored his 10th goal of the season, matching his career high, while Aleksander Barkov and Anton Lundell secured the win in the shootout. Goaltender Spencer Knight made 28 saves for his eighth win of the season.

Meanwhile, the Red Wings saw their seven-game winning streak end with a 6-3 loss to the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday. Former Panther Vladimir Tarasenko broke an 18-game scoreless drought with two goals, and Lucas Raymond added another. Detroit has gone 7-2 under new head coach Todd McLellan, who took over on Dec. 26.

Scoring has been a challenge for both teams recently. The Panthers have averaged just 2.00 goals per game over their last 10 contests, with their power play converting at a 16.7% rate. Key players like Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, and Carter Verhaeghe have each scored only one goal during that span. Sam Reinhart and Jesper Boqvist have been the lone consistent contributors, with five goals apiece.

Detroit’s offense has been more productive, but their recent success came against weaker defensive teams like the Sharks, Kraken, Blackhawks, and Senators. The Red Wings’ power play has been a bright spot, operating at a 45.2% success rate over their last 10 games. However, they have struggled on the road, posting an 8-8-2 record and averaging just 2.78 goals per game as the visiting team.

Historically, the Panthers have dominated this matchup, winning nine of the last 10 meetings dating back to 2022. The Under has also hit in four straight games between the two teams.

Thursday’s game will feature a battle between Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, who has a .909 save percentage and 2.74 goals-against average in his last seven starts, and a Red Wings offense led by Dylan Larkin, Patrick Kane, and Lucas Raymond.

Location: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise, FL
Date: Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025
Puck drop: 7:00 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN