Recap: Florida vs. Detroit
Sports Network | November 14, 2008
Sunrise, FL (Sports Network) - Johan Franzen's power-play goal early in the third period proved to be the game-winner, as the Detroit Red Wings edged the Florida Panthers, 3-2, at the BankAtlantic Center.
Marian Hossa scored two goals and Niklas Kronwall registered two assists for Detroit, which has won four of its last five games. Ty Conklin made 25 saves in the win.
Richard Zednik had a goal and an assist to pace the Panthers, who have dropped seven of their last nine games. Craig Anderson gave up two goals on 13 shots before he was replaced by Tomas Vokoun. Vokoun, hampered by back spasms recently, stopped 18-of-19 shots.
With the clubs locked at two and Florida defenseman Jassen Cullimore in the box for holding, Kronwall pulled the trigger on a slap shot from up high that Franzen, positioned in the low slot, deflected up and over Vokoun's shoulder at the 4:40 mark of the third period and Detroit held off Florida for the remainder of the game.
Detroit opened the scoring with 2:53 to play in the first period. Hossa chased down a dump-in along the left boards and, from a seemingly impossible angle, fired a shot that went off Anderson's left skate and trickled across the goal line.
Hossa gave Detroit a 2-0 lead, letting fly a snap shot from the top of the right circle that changed direction and slipped under the right arm of Anderson 1:37 into the middle stanza.
In an attempt to spark his team, Florida head coach Peter DeBoer yanked Anderson in favor of Vokoun following Hossa's second tally, and the move worked perfectly.
Zednik's backhander put the Panthers on the board at the 6:02 mark of the second and Stephen Weiss netted the tying goal with 8:09 remaining in the middle frame.
Conklin made his fifth start of the season, all have been on the road...Hossa has recorded four straight multi-point games...Hossa has 29 goals and 55 points in 45 career games against Florida...Detroit is 8-1-1 on the road this season...The Red Wings, making their first visit to South Florida since December 15, 2005, are 9-1 with five ties in their last 15 games versus the Panthers.
