The Florida Panthers ended a four-game losing streak with a 3-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Friday, March 6, 2026, at Little Caesars Arena. The win keeps the Panthers’ playoff aspirations alive, though they remain 10 points out of a postseason berth.
Evan Rodrigues, Anton Lundell and Sam Reinhart scored for Florida, while Alex DeBrincat netted the lone goal for Detroit. Sergei Bobrovsky secured the win in net for the Panthers, stopping multiple Red Wings attacks throughout the game.
Detroit’s John Gibson returned to the net after missing a game with an upper-body injury, but couldn’t prevent the Red Wings from falling to 35-21-7 on the season. The Red Wings, currently third in the Atlantic Division, had been on a strong run of form at home, boasting an 18-10-3 record at Little Caesars Arena.
The Panthers’ offense found its rhythm, with Rodrigues opening the scoring early in the first period. Lundell and Reinhart added goals later in the contest to extend Florida’s lead. The Panthers’ power play struggled, going 0-for-2, but their overall offensive pressure proved too much for the Red Wings to handle.
Detroit’s offense, led by DeBrincat, struggled to break through Florida’s defense. DeBrincat, who has 199 points in 226 games since joining the Red Wings, was looking to develop into the fifth player in franchise history to reach 100 goals in 230 games or fewer, but was held in check by the Panthers’ defensive scheme.
The Red Wings were without David Perron, who is still awaiting visa clearance after being acquired in a trade with the Ottawa Senators on Thursday. Travis Hamonic and Elmer Soderblom were also scratches for Detroit. Florida was missing key players Aleksander Barkov (knee), Seth Jones (collarbone), Jonah Gadjovich (upper body), and Cole Schwindt (lower body) due to injury.
The Panthers will look to build on this momentum as they continue their push for a playoff spot, while the Red Wings aim to rebound from the loss and maintain their position in the competitive Atlantic Division.
