The Florida Panthers (17-18-4) travel to face the Detroit Red Wings (16-13-7) at Little Caesars Arena on Friday. Florida is playing their first of four games on the road coming off a high-scoring 5-3 win over the Coyotes on Tuesday.
The Panthers took advantage of their power play opportunities, scoring once on two shots, while also conceding a power play goal. Matthew Tkachuk led the Panthers with a hat trick. Spencer Knight had 33 saves in the win.Detroit fell 5-1 to the Devils on Wednesday.
Lucas Raymond was the only player to score for the Red Wings. Ville Husso saved only 22 of 27 shots against (.814%) in the loss.
HEAD TO HEAD
The Panthers won the first meeting between the teams this season, a 5-1 victory in December, their seventh straight win against Detroit. Tkachuk led Florida with two points (1G 1A). Jonatan Berggren scored Detroit’s only goal. Sergei Bobrovsky got the win, saving 19 of 20 shots (.950%).
FACING OFF
Florida is averaging 3.28 goals per game for the season, 10th in the NHL, and they are taking on a Red Wings team that is allowing 3.33 goals a game (20th). Meanwhile, Detroit has found the net 3.06 times a game on average, 21st in the league, and the Panthers are allowing opponents to score 3.41 goals per game (24th).
Florida averages more shots (36.0) than any other team in the league, though the team’s 9.2% shooting percentage ranks 24th. Detroit’s average of 29.6 attempts ranks 23rd. Power play opportunities are likely to be plentiful for the Red Wings, as the Panthers are averaging 4.90 penalties per game, most in the NHL.
The visitors’ 12.18 penalty minutes a game ranks third-highest. The home team has been penalized 3.58 times a game (7th-fewest in the league) for an average of 7.72 minutes (3rd-fewest). The Red Wings’ 20.93% power play percentage ranks 20th in the league, while the Panthers are 24th with a conversion rate of 19.01%.
In terms of penalty killing, Detroit has the league’s 19th-ranked PK% at 76.36%, while Florida is 22nd at 74.32%.
TOP PERFORMERS:
With 47 points this season, 10th-most in the NHL, Tkachuk is the top skater for the Panthers. He has 20 goals and 27 assists in 36 games. In the net, Knight (9-6-3) is Florida’s top goaltender by goals against average. He has a 3.00 GAA and a .908% save percentage.
Bobrovsky (8-12-1) leads the Panthers in games played in goal. He has a GAA of 3.32 and a save percentage of .894%. Dylan Larkin leads the Red Wings in scoring with 33 points.
He has 13 goals and 20 assists in 35 games. Husso (12-6-5) has the best goals against average for Detroit at 2.86. He has a save percentage of .908%.
HOME AND AWAY
Florida is looking to avoid a fourth consecutive loss away from home this season. Detroit is 9-7-3 at Little Caesars Arena this season.
SportsTips’ NHL Pick:
Florida Panthers (-155)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
