Florida Panthers win big, but a scary moment steals the spotlight

Mar 7, 2026 (9:02)

Photo credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Dylan Larkin crumpled in visible pain vs the Florida Panthers, and Detroit's trade deadline buzz instantly felt grim.

For Florida fans, the 3-1 road win Friday should have been pure relief after a rough stretch. It was, until it wasn't.

Larkin went down midway through the third period and did not return.

Detroit coach Todd McLellan said the captain would be checked out and the team did not think it would be long term, but promised an update later.

The play looked non contact, the kind that makes both benches go quiet.

Florida still did the job between the whistles, snapping a four game losing streak behind Sergei Bobrovsky's 28 saves.

Matthew Tkachuk drove the story on the scoreboard with a hat trick, including an empty netter to ice it.

Detroit's lone goal came on a 5-on-3 power-play finish by Alex DeBrincat.

Panthers fans can celebrate two points and still feel a little sick about what they saw, because nobody wants a season to swing on a freak stride.

This was also brutal timing for Detroit, coming right after its deadline push to add David Perron and defenseman Justin Faulk.

Those are «win now» type adds, and then your top center collapses. That's the nightmare.

Larkin's production tells you why this matters, 26-33-59 in 61 games.

If he misses time, Detroit's top-six gets reshuffled and their puck transport through the middle takes a hit fast.

From Florida's angle, it changes future scouting too, because the Panthers could see the Red Wings again when the games get meaner.

For now, the Panthers banked points at 31-29-3, and Detroit left the night at 35-21-7 with bigger worries than the standings.

The next update on Larkin will tell us whether this was a scare or the kind of injury that lingers into April.

Previously on Sunrise Hockey Insider

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MARS 7\|17 ANSWERS Florida Panthers win big, but a scary moment steals the spotlight Should Florida Panthers fans feel uneasy about Dylan Larkin's injury moment?
Yes	6	35.3 %
No	11	64.7 %
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