Detroit − The Red Wings did a better job of keeping pucks out of their net Friday, but still aren’t putting enough of them into the net on the other side.
And the special teams, both the penalty kill and power play, are a total disappointment.
The Wings didn’t fall behind early, that was an improvement, and only allowed three goals but it was enough to lose to the Florida Panthers, 3-2.
Aaron Ekblad’s power-play goal in the second period broke a 1-1 tie, then added another power-play tally in the third period to give the Panthers some cushion.
Robby Fabbri, in only his second game since returning from major knee surgery, scored his first goal at 16:17 of the third period, cutting the lead to 3-2. With goaltender Ville Husso pulled, the Wings won the draw and worked the puck to Fabbri who snapped a shot from the hashmarks.
The Wings had a two-man advantage (pulling Husso, and a Panthers penalty) for the final 39.5 seconds but failed to convert. Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 29 shots and was instrumental the entire evening.
BOX SCORE: Panthers 3, Red Wings 2
“I give Bobrovsky a lot of credit, he stole the game,” coach Derek Lalonde said. “He was the first, second and third star and obviously he made the unbelievable saves on the grade A’s, the breakaways, the back door tap-ins, one-timers. But on the easy offense, we were way too easy on him. Shots from the point, we didn’t take his eyes away, didn’t take any rebound shots.”
Bobrovsky (23-6-1 in his career against the Wings) was sensational in the third period, robbing Dylan Larkin with a glove save early on, then Dominik Kubalik during a short-lived power play
But the over-riding theme in this game was the Wings again struggling on the special teams.
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Florida scored two power-play goals on its two attempts and killed all five Wings’ power plays.
“The difference in the game is if we get any execution on our special teams, and I’m not going as far as to say easy win, but it’s a winnable hockey game,” Lalonde said. “The reality is we didn’t execute on special teams. Give guys credit on our five-on-five play, but unfortunately nothing to show for it.”
Jonatan Berggren opened the game’s scoring just 1 minute, 4 seconds into the game, giving the Wings a quick 1-0 lead. Berggren scored his sixth goal, deflecting Ben Chiarot’s shot from the high slot.
But the Panthers answered quickly, with Gustav Forsling slapping a shot from the top of the slot past Husso at 2:33, Forsling’s sixth goal, tying the game at 1.
Ekblad broke the tie with his power-play goal at 6:28 of the second period.
Aleksander Barkov worked the puck down near the corner, then found Ekblad pinching down the slot. Ekblad got the pass and snapped a shot past Husso from near the hashmarks, Ekblad’s fifth goal.
Ekblad added his sixth, making it 3-1, in the third period. Barkov snapped a shot from the dot that Husso made the stop, but the rebound went directly to Ekblad pinching from the side and Ekblad easily placed the puck past Husso at 8:11.
“Five on five we’re a pretty good team right now, I’d say,” Chiarot said. “We carried the play for the most part five on five, and then we give one up on the penalty kill and we’re on our heels most of the game after that.”
Chiarot feels the problem on the PK is basic.
“It has to be better from all the guys on the PK,” said Chiarot, one of the Wings’ key penalty killers. “It’s not a matter of structure, or anything else. It’s just a matter of guys being where they’re supposed to be and getting the job done. We’re not doing it right now.”
Husso wasn’t overly worked, facing only 20 shots (17 saves), but likely isn’t going to start Saturday in Toronto (7 p.m./BSD/CBC/97.1). Just returning from an illness, Lalonde doesn’t want to overwork the goaltender.
“Coming off sickness, I don’t think it’s in anyone’s best interest to play three (games) in four (nights),” Lalonde said. “We’ll talk about it as a staff but I would expect Magnus (Hellberg) in (net Saturday).”
Lalonde is sensing a bit of frustration with the Wings after these last two losses, which have largely been the result of inferior special teams.
“Because it’s execution in an execution area and that’s special teams,” Lalonde said. “Our five on five, I won’t say it’s been excellent but in the last two games it’s has been real good, all four lines creating offense, generating, competing, driving offense.
“Analytically, we should have won this game, but that’s not the way the game is played.”
ted.kulfan@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @tkulfan