SUNRISE, Fla. - Tuesday night was a tough one for the Detroit Red Wings, as they came up short against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers, with a 4-3 loss at Amerant Bank Arena. The night took a turn for the worse when Andrew Copp exited the game with a lower-body injury late in the second period.
Head coach Todd McLellan shared, “Copp didn’t return, and he’s being evaluated. We’ll know more tomorrow, but it’s doubtful he’ll play against Tampa.”
Despite the setback, Detroit’s goaltender John Gibson made 22 saves, while Florida’s Daniil Tarasov stopped 25 shots, helping the Panthers secure the win.
Marco Kasper reflected on the game and the team’s challenges, saying, “It’s tough seeing a teammate like Copp go down. We’ve had injuries with Larks too.
We played well, especially in the third period, but we needed to close it out better. It’s frustrating not to get at least a point.”
The Red Wings started strong, outshooting the Panthers 11-5 in the first period, but found themselves down 1-0 after Vinnie Hinostroza tipped in a shot from Jesper Boqvist.
Detroit bounced back in the second period when Patrick Kane capitalized on a rebound from Moritz Seider’s shot, leveling the score at 1-1. Alex DeBrincat assisted on Kane’s 10th goal of the season.
Kane remarked, “A lot of ups and downs tonight with injuries and shifts missing. It was chaotic, but the team stepped up.”
Justin Faulk, acquired from the St. Louis Blues, made an immediate impact with a highlight-reel backhand goal, giving Detroit a 2-1 lead. It was Faulk’s first goal as a Red Wing and his 12th of the season.
“Twelve years in the league brings experience,” McLellan said about Faulk. “He adapted quickly, and the guys worked well with him.”
The Panthers tied it up early in the third, but Marco Kasper’s breakaway goal put Detroit back in front 3-2. Kasper’s seventh goal was assisted by Emmitt Finnie and Faulk, marking Faulk’s first multi-point game with Detroit.
Kasper commented, “I’m always trying to play hard, and with Finns and Ray, we complemented each other well.”
However, the Panthers rallied with two late goals from Carter Verhaeghe, sealing the win for Florida. Verhaeghe’s first came with Tarasov pulled, and his second with just 15 seconds left in regulation.
Kane spoke on the game’s ending, “We were in a good spot at 3-2 but didn’t finish the job. It’s tough.”
With Copp’s status uncertain and Dylan Larkin also doubtful, McLellan emphasized the need for a next-man-up mentality.
“Nobody’s feeling sorry for us,” McLellan stated. “We need to recover from this loss and plug some holes. The effort was there even after Copp went out, and we need that consistently.”
Reflecting on the game’s conclusion, McLellan noted, “We had a chance to clear the puck but fumbled, leading to their tying goal. On the winner, I thought there were too many men on the ice, but that’s not my call.”
Kasper added, “We’ve shown we can defend well. It’s about finding a way to win these tight games, especially at this point in the season.”