DETROIT — The Florida Panthers made themselves right at home at Joe Louis Arena — again
Brian Campbell scored at 1:20 of overtime, lifting the Panthers to a 2-1 victory over the Red Wings on Sunday for their fifth straight win in Detroit.
Campbell helped set up Reilly Smith‘s tying goal at 14:38 of the third period as the Panthers earned at least a point in a seventh consecutive game at the Joe Louis Arena. They haven’t lost in regulation at Detroit since Dec. 15, 2007.
“A gutsy effort,” Smith said. “We had a goal taken away early, but it worked out for us later. It’s great to get two points.”
Roberto Luongo made 28 saves for Florida, and Petr Mrazek had 30 for Detroit.
“It’s not good,” Detroit star Henrik Zetterberg said. “Overall, it was an ugly game. I think the puck was on the boards the whole time. “It was tough to get any flow going.”
Detroit’s Dylan Larkin intercepted a pass and scored his team-leading 10th goal, unassisted, at 7:02 of the second period for the game’s first goal.
The Panthers had a goal waved off just 28 seconds into the game.
The call, which withstood a challenge by Florida coach Gerard Gallant, was made when Jonathan Hubereau interfered with Mrazek before Smith’s backhander crossed the line.
“When I looked at it, it was a 50-50 call,” Gallant said. “It was early in the game and I wanted to create some momentum.”
Nothing got past Mrazek after that, however, until Smith’s tip-in at 14:38 of the third period. Smith was upended in front of the Detroit net, but got up just in time to get his stick on Campbell’s shot.
Many of the Panthers’ 22 shots through two periods were good scoring chances — including two by Brandon Pirri.
“I don’t think we were good enough tonight,” Reds Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. “We can play much better than we played. It seemed like we just didn’t have enough energy. We didn’t win enough puck races, didn’t win enough puck battles. We still sat with a lead late, but we need to be better for 60 (minutes). “
The game was the first of a five-game trip for Florida.
“A great way to start it,” Smith said.
Notes: Defenceman Brendan Smith, centre Joakim Andersson and left wing Teemu Pulkkinen were scratches for the Red Wings. For the Panthers, the scratches were defenceman Alex Petrovic, left wing Shawn Thornton and centre Dave Bolland. With Smith scratched for the Wings, the number of regular-season meetings between brothers (Brendan and Reilly) remained at 11 (5-5-1). … The game was the 883rd of Luongo’s career, giving him sole possession of eighth place on the career list for goalies.
