The Detroit Red Wings kept their postseason dreams alive on Sunday night, grinding out a 2-1 win over the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, who are suddenly mired in their longest losing streak in nearly a decade.
Alex DeBrincat and J.T. Compher each lit the lamp in the second period, and veteran goaltender Cam Talbot stood tall with 32 saves as Detroit earned two vital points in its hunt for a wild-card spot. The Red Wings now sit just outside the playoff line with only six games remaining in the regular season, looking to end a nine-year postseason drought.
“We’re fighting for every inch right now,” said Talbot. “Every save, every blocked shot, every goal — it all matters.”
After a scoreless and sluggish opening 20 minutes, DeBrincat broke the deadlock with a power-play tally — his 35th goal of the season — capitalizing on a second opportunity after narrowly missing an open net earlier in the shift.
Compher followed midway through the period with a goal that gave Detroit a 2-0 lead and some breathing room against a Panthers team that had looked disjointed all night.
Florida, playing without star forward Matthew Tkachuk and several key contributors, struggled to generate consistent offense despite outshooting Detroit 33-24. The Panthers are now on a five-game losing skid, their longest since the 2016-17 season.
Florida pulled backup goalie Vitek Vanecek in the final minutes for an extra skater, and Anton Lundell finally broke through with 39.9 seconds left to make it a one-goal game. But Talbot and the Red Wings defense held firm, surviving a furious final push.
Vanecek finished with 22 saves in relief of Sergei Bobrovsky, who was rested after starting in Saturday’s 3-0 loss at Ottawa.
Detroit has now collected points in four straight games (3-0-1), keeping them in the wild card mix. DeBrincat continues to deliver in clutch moments, while Talbot’s early saves — including 10 in the first period — helped prevent Florida from gaining momentum.
Despite clinching a playoff spot on Saturday, Florida is limping into the postseason. With Tkachuk still sidelined after being injured in the 4 Nations tournament on February 15, the team will be hoping for his return before the first round begins.
After missing a wide-open net early in the second period, DeBrincat redeemed himself on the same shift with a power-play goal that shifted momentum. Talbot’s 10-save first period laid the foundation for Detroit’s eventual lead, keeping the score even when the Panthers pressed early.
The Panthers will try to end their skid Tuesday when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs. Meanwhile, the Red Wings hit the road to face the Montreal Canadiens in another must-win matchup as they continue chasing the Eastern Conference’s final wild card spot.
