Detroit Red Wings falls, 5-2, to Florida Panthers, have lost 10 of last 12 games

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The Detroit Red Wings were in trouble soon after the game began, and weren't able to undo the early damage.

Their performance in Monday's 5-2 loss to the Florida Panthers — a team trying to secure a playoff spot — marked the 10th time in the last 12 games the Wings have come up short. For all the energy the crowd at Little Caesars Arena provided, the Wings started flat and finished frustrated. They've lost three in a row since the March 11-12 performances against the NHL-best Boston Bruins that inspired such confidence.

"The Boston games are the standard, and if we don’t play up to that standard, that leaves us vulnerable for games like the last two," veteran Andrew Copp said. "When you put down a marker and play as well as we did against that team, the best team in the league, twice, you don’t want to come off of that."

Copp assisted on Dylan Larkin's goal that pulled the Wings within a goal with 12:07 to play. But Eric Staal scored with 3:52 to play, and Carter Verhaeghe added his second goal of the game, during a power play, to run away with what had been a close game.

Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson (3), right wing Filip Zadina (11) and Panthers defenseman Casey Fitzgerald reach for the puck in from of goaltender Ville Husso during the first period on Monday, March 20, 2023, at Little Caesars Arena.
Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson (3), right wing Filip Zadina (11) and Panthers defenseman Casey Fitzgerald reach for the puck in from of goaltender Ville Husso during the first period on Monday, March 20, 2023, at Little Caesars Arena.

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"We have a certain standard we want to play by," Copp said. "There are going to be things that happen over the course of a game but there are some non-negotiable that we need to stick to. We have to find a way to play a little more inspired.

"It’s a 3-2 game with four minutes to go, it’s not like we got totally outplayed. But it’s hard night in and night out against these teams. You get up for two games as good as Boston, but Colorado won the Cup – how can you not get up for that game? This team has beaten us something like 11 times in a row, how do you not get up for that. It’s the night-in, night-out consistency that we have to find."

Since winning seven of eight games on Feb. 23, the Wings have gone 2-9-1. There has been an emphasis on the need to continue to find meaning in games even regardless of where they are in the standings. Copp recalled a lesson imparted by Panthers coach Paul Maurice back when both were with the Winnipeg Jets. "My first year our coach [said], it’s Game 60 or whatever, all right, we’re not making the playoffs, so I’ll treat you like men if you guys act like men. And I was kind of confused at what that exactly meant, and now I’m on the other side a little bit as a vet, and being in five straight playoffs.

"These games, you have to find a way to inspire your teammates and inspire yourself. But that can be hard. That’s our challenge. That’s the challenge from the older guys in the room to find that inspiration and for the younger guys, it’s proving that you belong in the NHL. So you have to find that gear to push yourself."

Edvinsson's night

Simon Edvinsson, the No. 6 pick from 2021 who made his debut Saturday, was in the lineup for a second time because Gustav Lindstrom remained out with an undisclosed injury. Coach Derek Lalonde said Edvinsson was "our best d, created some plays, was hard" after he played 14:17, registering one hit and drawing two penalties. He returned to the game after being checked by Radko Gudas, but Lalonde said Edvinsson was getting looked at by doctors after the game, and was unsure of his status.

Early damage

The Wings started slow and paid for it. They got lucky early — Gustav Forsling's attempt hit the crossbar and dropped into the paint, where the puck lay loose until Husso was able to cover it; Anthony Duclair seemed to have a clear shot on a wraparound, but shot wide. But when Lucas Raymond gifted the Panthers a chance with a turnover in Detroit's zone, Sam Bennett fed Matthew Tkachuk for a 1-0 lead at 7:28. Verhaeghe fired a shot through traffic that eluded Husso while Bennett was by the crease. "It was easy offense for them in a couple situations," Lalonde said. "And then our inability to finish on a couple of our chances in the second, we probably could have gotten out of there with a second goal. So, it's frustrating."

Suitable goal

The Wings challenged goaltender interference on the Verhaeghe goal, but video review showed that no infractions occurred prior to the goal. That meant the Wings were assessed a delay of game call, further hindering their efforts. But they got out of the first period in decent shape. David Perron carried the puck from the right flank to Florida's net, seemingly beating Sergei Bobrovsky only to have the puck hit the goal post. Perron got his stick on the puck again and fed it into the paint, where Pius Suter was able to knock it up. It was a big goal because it doused some of the momentum the Panthers had built. It was Suter's second goal in two games and third point in four games.

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Red Wings center Pius Suter greets teammates after scoring during the first period on Monday, March 20, 2023, at Little Caesars Arena.
Red Wings center Pius Suter greets teammates after scoring during the first period on Monday, March 20, 2023, at Little Caesars Arena.

Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames.

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Her latest book, “On the Clock: Behind the Scenes with the Detroit Red Wings at the NHL Draft,” is available from  Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Red Wings falls, 5-2, to Florida Panthers, have lost 10 of 12