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Bertuzzi scores winner in third as Red Wings edge Panthers

Feb 19, 2011 - 4:50 AM Sunrise, FL (Sports Network) - Todd Bertuzzi scored twice including the go- ahead goal in the third period, as the streaking Detroit Red Wings knocked off the Florida Panthers, 4-3, at BankAtlantic Center.

Pavel Datsyuk collected a goal and an assist for the Red Wings, who have won four straight and sit a top the Central Division with 78 points. Danny Cleary tallied a goal while Joey MacDonald stopped 29 shots in the win.

"I think we're really concentrating on playing solid defense," Bertuzzi said. "When we do that we ended up scoring a lot."

Dennis Wideman, Stephen Weiss and Radek Dvorak all lit the lamp for the Panthers, who rounded out an unfavorable five-game homestand 1-3-1. Tomas Vokoun yielded four goals on 30 shots.

"They're a good team and they capitalized on us early," Panthers head coach Peter DeBoer said. "I credit our guys for coming back. We kept battling the full 60 minutes."

The home team scored two straight goals to knot it at three. The equalizer came nearing the mid-point of the final frame on Weiss' slapper from the high slot that sailed over MacDonald's left shoulder.

However, Detroit was back in front for good with 7:32 left in the game on Bertuzzi's second goal. He trailed a Red Wing rush as Johan Franzen dropped the puck off in the high slot and Bertuzzi finished with a slapper.

Detroit fended off an extra-attacker play during the final 30 seconds to seal the win.

The Red Wings got on the board quickly after Henrik Zetterberg collected a Brian Rafalski pass at the top of the blue line. He streaked into the right side zone and centered it to Bertuzzi, who chipped the puck in from the doorstep for a 1-0 edge just 1:21 in.

Detroit went up 2-0, 6 1/2 minutes into the opening period when Cleary found himself on the breakaway set up by a long pass from Jiri Hudler. The veteran forward's initial 1-on-1 shot was blocked by Vokoun, but Cleary kept with the play and tipped in the rebound.

The hosts finally got a break in the latter stages of the first. Dvorak raced down the right boards and wristed a low shot from the right circle. In what seemed like a relatively easy save for MacDonald, the puck trickled between his legs and slowly crossed the goal line for a 2-1 game.

The two-goal lead was regained by the Red Wings just 3:29 into the second period after Datsyuk picked Wideman's pocket right in front of the net. Datsyuk then just needed one move to shelf his 17th goal of the season.

Florida, though, took advantage of a Ruslan Salei slashing penalty to make the score 3-2 with 17 ticks left in the second stanza. Right after an offensive zone faceoff win, Wideman blasted a shot from the point which found its way through traffic and into the net.

Game Notes

Florida forward Jack Skille registered his first point as a Panther with a helper on Weiss' goal in the third period...Florida dropped to 12-11-6 as the host this season...The Red Wings have won four of the last six against the Panthers...Zetterberg had two assists.