Florida’s Patric Hornqvist slips the puck past Red Wings goalie Thomas Greiss for one of his two goals as Robby Fabbri defends Friday night in Detroit. Paul Sancya/Associated Press
DETROIT — Patric Hornqvist scored in the first and third periods to help the Florida Panthers start and finish strong in a 7-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Friday night.
Juho Lammikko and MacKenzie Weegar scored on consecutive shots in the opening period, and Hornqvist made it 3-0 in a four-shot stretch that doomed a Detroit team averaging an NHL-low 1.9 goals a game.
Florida’s Chris Driedger made 30 saves, including a spectacular stop to deny Darren Helm in the second period. The Central Division-leading Panthers, set to face Detroit again Saturday night, matched a season high with three straight victories, giving them 11 wins in 15 games.
HURRICANES 5, BLACKHAWKS 3: Nino Niederreiter had two goals and an assist, and Carolina cooled off visiting Chicago.
Niederreiter capped his big night by scoring on the power play 15:04 into the third period, pushing the puck past Kevin Lankinen from the top of the crease. Niederreiter’s ninth goal of the season made it 4-2, putting the Hurricanes in control after quickly blowing a two-goal lead late in the second.
Martin Necas scored the go-ahead goal early in the third on a power play. Vincent Trocheck and Jaccob Slavin also found the net – with Slavin scoring on a long empty-netter with 3:14 left.
Patrick Kane had a spectacular goal and two assists for the Blackhawks, who had won three in a row and six of seven.
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