DETROIT -As their morning skate began to wind down at Little Caesars Arena on Friday, the Panthers skated toward center ice and huddled up around interim head coach Andrew Brunette.
While we'll never know what was said, the response from players could be heard loud and clear.
"Let's go!"
Admittedly still processing a "whirlwind" couple of days that culminated with former head coach Joel Quenneville's resignation on Thursday, the Panthers will now attempt to come together and push forward as they attempt to pick up their eighth straight win tonight against the Red Wings.
PREVIEW: In First Game Under Brunette, Panthers Will 'Rally Together'
"We're going to rally together here," Brunette said. "We're going to keep this team together."
During his media availability, Brunette also showed his support for Kyle Beach, who recently came forward as the victim of the sexual-assault scandal that took place in Chicago in 2010.
"A real sad day for hockey with Kyle Beach and everything he's gone through," he said. "You really feel for him, especially with what he's had to deal with. It's a sad day for our organization. It's a sad day for our players. It's a sad day for the game of hockey that this is still lingering our game. It's a great game. … The game's better than that. You have to learn and get better."
Before Brunette, Panthers Aaron Ekblad and Jonathan Huberdeau also spoke on the matter.
"Obviously it's not easy," Huberdeau said of the situation. "It's something we're still processing. Kyle's story is something that just shouldn't happen, in our game or anywhere. It's a story you never want to hear. We all feel sorry for what happened and that's all that matters right now."
Added Ekblad: "We're all humans here. There's more important things than hockey right now…. Really sad for [Kyle Beach]. It's a terrible situation and I couldn't imagine being in that situation and having to deal with the emotions that follow. I wish the best for him and his healing."
While the road ahead will be difficult, the Panthers are ready to traverse it together.
On and off the ice, Huberdeau said the group feels more like a family than a team.
"We're going through this as a team, and [Brunette] is going to be there to help us," he said. "We've still got to play hockey and do it for each other. That's what we're going to do tonight."
With a new coach behind the bench, the Panthers will look to continue their record winning streak out of the gate. One of just 14 teams to start the season with at least seven straight victories, they will now try to become just the seventh stream to stretch that streak to eight.
Finding success at both ends of the ice during their streak, the Panthers have scored a league-leading 31 goals over their first seven games. Giving up just 13 of their own in that same span, they have amassed a league-best +18 goal differential, including leading 19-8 at 5-on-5 play.
Setting a franchise record, Florida has scored at least four goals in seven straight games.
On Wednesday in Sunrise, Eetu Luostarinen, Anthony Duclair, Mason Marchment and Owen Tippett all touched twine, while Sergei Bobrovsky made 30 saves in a 4-1 win over the Bruins.
"It seemed like they came out pretty hot, for sure," Ekblad said after the win at FLA Live Arena. "We've obviously played a lot of games here and we're doing well. The fact that we were able to turn it around and get a win is great. Bob played amazing and we got some timely goals."
With one of the most-balanced attackers in the NHL, Huberdeau leads the Panthers in scoring with nine points (three goals, six assists), while five other players have registered at least seven.
Returning to the crease, Bobrovsky, who boasts a 5-0-0 record and .946 save percentage, will get the start for the Panthers again in Detroit. In injury news, rookie Anton Lundell is expected to miss his third straight game, while defenseman Kevin Connauton will be a game-time decision.
Easily one of the most surprising teams early on this season, the Red Wings, who finished in the bottom-five of the league in 2020-21 after winning just 19 of 56 games, have raced out to a 4-2-1 record and currently sit in third place in the Atlantic Division heading into tonight's game.
On Wednesday, captain Dylan Larkin scored the game-winning goal in overtime to lift Detroit to a 3-2 win at Washington. Against the Capitals, Adam Erne and Robby Fabbri also lit the lamp, while Thomas Greiss stopped 26 of 28 shots between the pipes to improve his record to 3-1-0.
Detroit has yet to confirm a goalie or tonight, but Greiss could go again after that strong start.
"Every game and every season that goes by is huge for experience and confidence," Erne, who has posted a pair of multi-point game this season, said. "A big thing for us is just winning those tight games, and that's going to tell us a lot about how were going to be as a team."
Tyler Bertuzzi leads the Red Wings in goals (6) and points (9). Tied for second on the team in scoring, rookie Lucas Raymond (four goals, four assists) and Larkin (three goals, five assists) have tallied eight points each, while rookie defenseman Moritz Seider has recorded six assists.
In 23 career games against Florida, Larkin has produced 23 points (nine goals, 14 assists).
Facing the Red Wings eight times last season, the Panthers posted a 6-2-0 record.
As a reminder, tonight's game will not be available to watch on Bally Sports Florida or the Bally Sports Florida App. Instead, fans can catch all of the exciting action on either ESPN+ or Hulu.
PANTHERS NOTES
- The Panthers are the first team to record seven straight games with at least four goals since the 1992-93 Sabres, who hold the league record at 10 consecutive games.
- In the season series against the Red Wings last season, Jonathan Huberdeau led the Panthers with nine points (one goal, eight assists), while Patric Hornqvist scored four goals.
- Aaron Ekblad has notched at least one point in six of seven games this season.
- Sam Reinhart enters tonight's matchup riding a five-game point streak in which he's produced two goals and five assists.
- MacKenzie Weegar leads the Panthers in blocked shots (13) and ranks second in hits (18).
- Gustav Forsling leads Florida and ranks third among NHL defensemen with seven assists.
- Anthony Duclair leads the Panthers with five goals.
- Dating back to last season, the Panthers have won 13 straight regular-season games.
PANTHERS LINEUP (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)
Forwards
Carter Verhaeghe - Aleksander Barkov - Anthony Duclair
Jonathan Huberdeau - Sam Bennett - Owen Tippett
Mason Marchment - Eetu Luostarinen - Sam Reinhart
Frank Vatrano - Joe Thornton - Patric Hornqvist
Defensemen
MacKenzie Weegar - Aaron Ekblad
Gustav Forsling - Radko Gudas
Kevin Connauton - Brandon Montour
Goaltenders
Sergei Bobrovsky
Spencer Knight
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
- Oct. 21: D Chase Priskie was recalled from Charlotte (AHL).
- Oct. 20: D Olli Juolevi was placed on IR.
RECENT ARTICLES / PODCASTS
HOW TO WATCH / LISTEN
When:Friday, Oct. 29 at 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Little Caesars Arena - Detroit, MI
TV: N/A
Stream: Hulu,
ESPN+
Radio: 560 WQAM (Dade/Broward); 640 WMEN (Palm Beach); 100.3 WCTH (Florida Keys); SiriusXM Channel 219 / App & Streaming 932
