Panthers score 8, cruise to win against Red Wings in season finale

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Luke Kunin had two goals and an assist, and Mike Benning scored his first two NHL goals for the Florida Panthers, who defeated the Detroit Red Wings 8-1 in the season finale for both teams at Amerant Bank Arena on Wednesday.

“There were no nerves on the line; everyone was loose and not thinking,” said Benning, who is one of eight Panthers players coach Paul Maurice said would be returning to Charlotte of the American Hockey League on Thursday morning. “We played to our strengths, and there was nothing to lose. We just went out there and had fun.”

Florida, which won the past two Stanley Cup championships, had been eliminated from postseason contention. Detroit missed the playoffs for the 10th consecutive season, the longest drought in franchise history.

Cole Reinhardt had a goal and an assist, and A.J. Greer and Vinnie Hinostroza also scored for the Panthers (40-38-4), who ended their season with three straight wins and nine in their final 11 home games. Matthew Tkachuk had two assists, and Daniil Tarasov made 24 saves. Wilmer Skoog also had a pair of assists for the first two points of his NHL career.

The Panthers scored eight goals in a game for the third time this season (also Nov. 17 and Nov. 24), tying the franchise record set by their Presidents’ Trophy team from 2021-22.

“It was a nice payoff for them,’’ said Maurice, who had five defensemen playing who spent a lot of time in the American Hockey League this season. “It was nice for our fans, too. We have had a bit of a tough year here. … It was the way the game is supposed to be played, on our side, anyway.’’

Justin Faulk scored for the Red Wings (41-31-10), who finished with losses in three straight and 10 of their final 13 (3-8-2). John Gibson allowed four goals on 15 shots before being replaced in the second period by Cam Talbot, who surrendered four goals on 12 shots in relief.

“Both teams came in with nothing on the line, and you can see their championship pedigree,” Detroit coach Todd McLellan said. “I’m going to compliment the Panthers -- it runs throughout their organization. They came out, and it meant something to them.”

When asked if he was embarrassed by his team’s performance, McLellan said: “Yes. We all should be.’’

Hinostroza gave Florida a 1-0 lead at 4:57 of the first period when he one-timed it from above the right circle after Skoog moved the puck to him along the half wall.

Florida then scored four goals in the second to take a 5-0 lead before the Red Wings scored late in the period.

Kunin made it 2-0 at 5:37 by one-timing a pass from Tkachuk.

The two grew up playing together in St. Louis, Missouri, and Tkachuk pulled the puck for his friend and took the stick he used for the pass and put that away as well.

“Might be, honestly other than the Olympics, connecting on that goal, the highlight of the hockey part for me,” Tkachuk said. “We connected on hundreds of goals in youth hockey and a bunch with the (U.S. Developmental) team and now a couple in the NHL. That ended up being the game-winner. It was very special for us. We were smiling.”

Greer scored on the power play to extend it to 3-0 at 8:56 on a wraparound.

Benning pushed it to 4-0 at 9:39 with his first NHL goal in his 18th game. His slap shot from the high slot went high off the glass behind the net, but the puck bounced all the way back and hit Gibson’s skate and slid into the back of the net.

Just over three minutes later, Benning scored his second goal to make it 5-0 when he lifted a shot from the right circle at 12:41.

Faulk then cut it to 5-1 at 16:12 after scoring off a pass from Alex DeBrincat.

But that was as close as the Red Wings would get.

“Brutal. Horrible. There’s not really much to say about it,” Detroit forward J.T. Compher said. “No one in that room tonight should be proud of anything that happened on that ice. We didn’t play like we had respect for the game tonight. That was the result when you don’t respect the opponent or the game. That’s what happens.”

Cole Schwindt made it 6-1 at 8:56 of the third period after deflecting a shot from Marek Alscher.

Reinhardt pushed it to 7-1 at 9:37, extending his goal streak to four games (five goals).

Kunin scored his second goal of the game at 18:12 for the 8-1 final.

NOTES: Benning is the first rookie defenseman to score multiple goals in a period for the Panthers. … Only four other Florida defensemen have scored twice faster than Benning did (3:02): Aaron Ekblad (1:38 on Oct. 14, 2021), MacKenzie Weegar (1:40 on March 8, 2019), Jason Demers (2:17 on Nov. 10, 2016) and Bryan McCabe (2:59 on Jan. 5, 2010). … Skoog, Alscher, and Benning are the first rookies to record multiple points in the same game in franchise history. … Tkachuk had his 48th multi-assist game with Florida, passing Ekblad for third most in team history.