Pavel Datsyuk Puts Away Panthers In 3rd, Red Wings Win 3-0

Pavel Datsyuk scored two goals just 68 seconds apart in the third period to extend the Red Wings’ lead to 3-0 with 7:26 remaining as Detroit hosted the Florida Panthers Monday night.

The game was scoreless heading into the final period Tomas Tatar was able to beat Panthers’ goalie Al Montoya a little over 4 minutes into the third for his 16th goal of the season.

Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg had requested to play together on the same line and Detroit was rewarded with Datsyuk’s seventh and eighth goals and Zetterberg’s two assists (27).

Red Wings’ goalie Petr Mrazek posted his fourth shutout of the season, stopping all 23 shots faced. Mrazek notched his 20th win of the season and upped his save percentage to .933%.

The game saw 32 penalty minutes between the two sides including a third period fight between Detroit’s Justin Abdelkader and Florida’s Derek MacKenzie.  Abdelkader had a check on Panthers’ center Aleksander Barkov that forced Barkov out of the game, he is now day-to-day with an upper body injury.

The Red Wings (27-18-8) will host the Ottawa Senators at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, on Wednesday 10, at 7 p.m. The Panthers fell to 31-16-6, but still remain ahead of the Red Wings in the Atlantic Division.  They will travel to Buffalo to take on the Sabres tonight, February 9, at 7:30 p.m.