Panthers reach 8-0, winning first game without Quenneville

(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

By STEVE KORNACKI

DETROIT (AP) Aleksander Barkov scored in overtime and the Florida Panthers - playing a day after coach Joe Quenneville resigned amid a sex scandal - beat Detroit 3-2 on Friday to run their season-opening winning streak to eight.

Quenneville, the second-winningest coach in NHL history, resigned Thursday, two days after being among those implicated for not responding swiftly to allegations by former Chicago player Kyle Beach of being sexually assaulted by then-Blackhawks assistant Brad Aldrich during the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Andrew Brunette, an assistant under Quenneville, directed the Panthers as interim coach.

Barkov scored twice, Eetu Luostarinen had a goal and Sergei Bobrovsky made 28 saves to help the Panthers move within two of the NHL record for consecutive victories to start a season set by Toronto in 1993-94 and matched by Buffalo in 2006-07.

Sam Gagner and Pius Suter scored for Detroit, with Suter tying it with 3:41 left in regulation with his first goal of the season.

Luostarinen and Barkov gave Florida a 2-0 lead in the first period. Luostarinen redirected a shot through goalie Alex Nedeljkovic's legs at 8:43, and Barkov banged the puck under Nedeljkovic's right pad with 1:11 to go.

Gagner pulled Detroit within one on a redirection at 2:15 of the second period. The Red Wings dropped to 4-3-1.

UP NEXT

Panthers: At Boston on Saturday night.

Red Wings: At Toronto on Saturday night.

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Updated October 29, 2021