Filppula’s Penalty Shot Helps Red Wings Past Panthers

For the second time in three games, Valtteri Filppula scored on a penalty shot attempt, helping the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-2 win over the visiting Florida Panthers.

Filppula’s goal was the final goal of the game, coming with 8:43 left in the third period. Florida goalie Tomas Vokoun threw his stick while Filppula tried to score, forcing an automatic penalty shot.

On the chance, Filppula tried the same move that was successful on Monday night in Nashville. Vokoun didn’t fall for the fake but missed on an attempted poke check, giving Filppula room to score on the stick side.

It was the second penalty shot of the night for the Red Wings. Pavel Datsyuk missed on a chance 3:29 earlier after being tripped while going to the goal.

Datsyuk had opened the game’s scoring at 6:18 of the first, with Detroit on a five-on-three. Brian Rafalski sent the puck down from the high slot to Henrik Zetterberg, parked to Vokoun’s left. Zetterberg sent a cross-crease pass to Datsyuk who put it back in the middle, banking it in off of Vokoun.

The Panthers rallied and then took the lead on a pair of lucky bounces in the second period.

Just 46 seconds in, Olli Jokinen threw the puck across the crease. It bounced off of defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom and floated into the net.

Only 4:13 later, Radek Dvorak put the puck out front. Chris Chelios attempted to clear but knocked it off of his own skate and across the goal line, putting Florida out in front.

A power play goal by Johan Franzen pulled the Red Wings back into a tie at 8:58 of the period. With Detroit on a power play and Rostislav Olesz hurt, the Red Wings controlled the puck long enough for Niklas Kronwall to work it down low to Jiri Hudler. Hudler couldn’t control it but it bounced to the other side of the crease where Franzen put it home.

The Red Wings took over in the third, scoring twice in 1:04 before Filppula’s penalty shot finished things off.

Dan Cleary scored at 5:40 of the period putting home a rebound chance and Brian Rafalski added a power play goal with a rifled shot from the blue line that deflected over Vokoun’s shoulder.

Detroit finished the night with a season-high 46 shots, of which 41 were stopped by Vokoun. Goaltender Chris Osgood stopped 33 of Florida’s 35 chances for his fifteenth win of the season.

The Red Wings are back in action on Monday night when they host the Washington Capitals.

---

It was the first game in Red Wings history to feature two Detroit penalty shot attempts… The win was head coach Mike Babcock’s 200th.