Verhaeghe scores twice in final 1:30, Panthers stun Red Wings

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Carter Verhaeghe scored twice in the final 1:30 of the third period, lifting the Florida Panthers to a 4-3 win against the Detroit Red Wings at Amerant Bank Arena on Tuesday.

“I think we deserved to win that,” Verhaeghe said. “There is only one way to play and that is to go out, win games, try and do your best. Once you start thinking about other stuff, it really doesn’t go that well. There’s one way to play, and that’s what we’re trying to do.”

With Florida goaltender Daniil Tarasov pulled for the extra attacker, Verhaeghe tied it 3-3 from the point with a wrist shot through traffic that went in off the right post at 18:30. 

He then scored the game-winner with 15 seconds left, taking a pass from Matthew Tkachuk and scoring from the left circle on the rush with a shot that went in off the skate of Detroit defenseman Justin Faulk to make it 4-3.

“Tough finish,” Detroit forward Patrick Kane said. “We’re in a great spot there at 3-2 and it comes down to the last couple of minutes, and we just didn’t get the job done. It hurts.”

Vinnie Hinostroza had a goal and an assist in his first game since being traded Friday from the Minnesota Wild to the Panthers (32-29-3), who have won two straight, both against the Red Wings. Tkachuk had two assists, and Tarasov made 25 saves. 

Before winning 3-1 at Detroit on Friday, Florida had lost nine of 11 games. The Panthers are 11 points behind the Boston Bruins for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs with 18 games remaining for each team.

“We have one job and it’s not to figure out where we finish in the standings. It’s to handle your day,” Florida coach Paul Maurice said. “The best that we can do is come out, have respect for the game and for each other. And, you know, hope for a miracle, I guess. With the guys out, we know that’s going to be a challenge. But we still have to be pros, and we have to almost honor the Florida Panther game. That’s what we’re trying to do.”

Faulk had a goal and an assist in his second game with his new team, and Kane and Marco Kasper also scored for the Red Wings (36-22-7), who have lost four of six. John Gibson made 24 saves.

“We have a job to do and the first thing we have to do is recover from this loss,” Detroit coach Todd McLellan said. “Then we have to figure out how to plug some holes. … It’s another (game) where, at least, we should be leaving with a point. But we’re not. That’s a tough one to swallow.”

Hinostroza, in his second stint with the Panthers after playing nine games without a point for them in the 2020-21 season, gave them a 1-0 lead at 9:48 of the first period with a deflection of Jesper Boqvist’s shot from the left boards. 

“The first game and I got the jitters out of the way,” Hinostroza said. “My linemates really helped me, playing different systems and things. There is little stuff I still need to focus on, that I can do better. But that was a fun first game. That was a big one.”

Kane tied it 1-1 at 3:54 of the second period, sweeping the puck in at the right post after it got behind Tarasov.

Faulk scored his first goal with the Red Wings to make it 2-1 at 12:59, lifting a hard backhanded shot from the left face-off circle over the glove of Tarasov. The defenseman was acquired in a trade with the St. Louis Blues on Friday.

Niko Mikkola tied it 2-2 at 5:10 of the third period, sending a shot through traffic from inside the blue line that clipped the skate of Faulk and beat Gibson.

Detroit quickly retook the lead when Kasper went in on a breakaway and scored from the slot to make it 3-2 at 6:32.

“I thought we played pretty well," Kasper said. "In the third, they pressured a lot. … Very frustrating that we lost that game. We have shown we can play pretty well defensively, we played good the whole game. Obviously, the last goal came off sticks and skates. We just have to find a way. We have to win those games moving forward.”

Red Wings center Andrew Copp left the game with a lower-body injury at 13:18 of the second period and had to be helped off the ice. Copp and Panthers center Tomas Nosek got tangled up after a face-off, with Nosek landing on top of Copp’s leg.

McLellan said Copp was being evaluated and that he is doubtful for the game at the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday.

The Panthers played without their two leading scorers. Forward Sam Reinhart (soft tissue issues) was rested Tuesday and is expected to play against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday, but Brad Marchand (lower body) is expected to be out for weeks and may need surgery.

“Some guys are getting different looks at different spots,” Verhaeghe said of playing without Reinhart and Marchand. “Losing two great guys is tough, but the guys stepped up. Vinnie came in, played well. Every line played well. For guys, when you get the opportunity, make the most of it.”

NOTES: Kane scored his 502nd goal and tied Joe Mullen for the fourth most by a United States-born player. He trails Mike Modano (561), Keith Tkachuk (538) and Jeremy Roenick (513). … Verhaeghe had his 14th multigoal period, tying Pavel Bure for the most in Panthers history. … Florida got its second regulation win in franchise history after trailing in the final two minutes of the third period. The other: a 4-2 win against the Los Angeles Kings on Oct. 6, 1999.