It was the season finale for both teams.
Florida, which won the past two Stanley Cup championships, had been eliminated from postseason contention. Detroit missed the playoffs for the 10th consecutive season, the longest drought in franchise history.
Cole Reinhardt had a goal and an assist, and A.J. Greer and Vinnie Hinostroza also scored for the Panthers (40-38-4), who ended their season with three straight wins and nine in their final 11 home games. Matthew Tkachuk had two assists, and Daniil Tarasov made 24 saves. Wilmer Skoog also had a pair of assists for the first two points of his NHL career.
Justin Faulk scored for the Red Wings (41-31-10), who finished with losses in three straight and 10 of their final 13 (3-8-2). John Gibson allowed four goals on 15 shots before being replaced in the second period by Cam Talbot, who surrendered four goals on 12 shots in relief.
Hinostroza gave Florida a 1-0 lead at 4:57 of the first period when he one-timed it from above the right circle after Skoog moved the puck to him along the half wall.
Florida then scored four goals in the second to take a 5-0 lead before the Red Wings scored late in the period.
Kunin made it 2-0 at 5:37 by one-timing a pass from Tkachuk.
Greer scored on the power play to extend it to 3-0 at 8:56 on a wraparound.
Benning pushed it to 4-0 at 9:39 with his first NHL goal in his 18th game. His slap shot from the high slot went high off the glass behind the net, but the puck bounced all the way back and hit Gibson’s skate and slid into the back of the net.
Just over two minutes later, Benning scored his second goal to make it 5-0 when he lifted a shot from the right circle at 12:41.
Faulk cut it to 5-1 at 16:12 after scoring off a pass from Alex DeBrincat.
Cole Schwindt made it 6-1 at 8:56 of the third period after deflecting a shot from Marek Alscher.
Reinhardt extended his goal streak to four games (five goals) to push it to 7-1 at 9:37.
Kunin scored his second goal of the game at 18:12 for the 8-1 final.