Preview: Panthers begin 2-game road trip with matchup against slumping Red Wings

Preview: Panthers begin 2-game road trip with matchup against slumping Red Wings

Published Dec. 31, 2018 10:11 p.m. ET

TV: FOX Sports Florida


TIME: 7:30 p.m.


STREAM IT LIVE ON THE FOX SPORTS APP

DETROIT -- The Florida Panthers made a trade and the Detroit Red Wings are reeling.

Detroit hosts Florida at Little Caesars Arena Monday night.

The Panthers (16-15-6) dealt defenseman Alex Petrovic to the Edmonton Oilers for defenseman Chris Wideman and a conditional third-round pick in the 2019 Draft on Sunday.

The third-round round pick will be the higher pick between the Edmonton Oilers' third-round draft pick and the New York Islanders' third-round draft pick, which was previously acquired by Edmonton.

Wideman, 28, has two goals and five assists in 24 games with Edmonton and the Ottawa Senators this season. The Oilers acquired Wideman in a trade on Nov. 22.



Petrovic, 26, has one assist in 26 games with Florida.

Both players will be unrestricted free agents on July 1.

The Panthers came from behind to beat the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 on Saturday at the BB&T Center on Jonathan Huberdeau's goal with 1:06 left. Mike Hoffman's power-play goal tied it with 6:44 remaining.

"We had so many chances that wouldn't go in," Huberdeau said. "Just at the end, it worked out for us, and it's a big two points. Me and [center Aleksander Barkov] were talking to each other and we were like, 'There's no way nothing is going to happen. We had so many chances.' Finally, it happened at the end. We just stuck with it, and it worked out for us."

Barkov, also Florida's captain, set up Huberdeau for the goal.

The Red Wings (15-19-6), who begin a five-game homestand, lost 5-1 on the road to the Dallas Stars on Saturday for their fourth-consecutive loss (0-3-1) and eighth in their last 10 games (2-6-2).

"It's snowballing on us right now. It can't get away from us like that," center Frans Nielsen said.

Detroit has been hamstrung by long-term injuries to forward Darren Helm (upper body), right winger Anthony Mantha (broken hand) and defensemen Danny DeKeyser (hand) and Mike Green (lower body).

Defense has been a particular concern. The Red Wings have given up five goals in each of their last three games.

"We need to quit giving up so many goals," coach Jeff Blashill said. "I talked to our team the other day about not letting a goal bother us, but when you're giving up five or six goals, you're not going to win."

Detroit was totally outclassed on Saturday night.

"We deserved to lose, 100 percent," Blashill said. "They outplayed us, without question. They were faster than us all over the ice and I don't think they are faster than us, so that's the way we played. We have to be better than that."

The only positive was that center Dylan Larkin extended his point streak to 13 games (7-10-17) with a power-play goal in the third period. It is the longest current run in the NHL.

It was Larkin's 17th goal, which surpasses his total from last season.

"He's been consistent all year," Nielsen said. "He competes every night, shows up and works as hard as he can. You can see he's determined. It's fun to watch him grow as a player."


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