Rowe gets first NHL coaching win

DETROIT — Aleksander Barkov scored on a breakaway 2:04 into overtime, lifting Florida to a 2-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night and giving interim coach Tom Rowe his first victory with the Panthers.

Florida, playing its second game with Rowe, had lost its last two games. Detroit was 3-0-1 after losing four straight and nine of 11.

The Red Wings went ahead 1:23 into the game when Henrik Zetterberg scored on their first shot, ending a six-game drought. But they struggled on offense the rest of the night.

Milbury a cynic

Former Bruins and Islanders coach Mike Milbury, an analyst on NBC’s NHL Live, warned the Panthers’ Tom Rowe about wearing two hats as general manager and coach.

“Having done it, I can tell you it’s not an easy task. I sucked at it, so I don’t want to tell you that he’s going to do a great job at doing both jobs,’’ said Milbury, who guided the Islanders to back-to-back losing seasons as GM and coach for parts of two seasons 1995-97.

“He will have to employ other kinds of help to get the general manager’s job done, specifically when it comes to scouting. … He’d be a one-armed wallpaper hanger.’’

Rowe said earlier this week that he will focus on coaching and leave the dayto-day GM responsibilities to Dale Tallon, president of hockey operations, and co-assistant GMs Steve

Werier and Eric Joyce. Rowe said he would still be involved in meetings about personnel.

“You find yourself running from the practice rink to the office in your sweatsuit. It’s not a good way to be,’’ Milbury continued. “Your days never end. Coaching takes an awful lot. Here’s a guy who hasn’t done it at the NHL level. This isn’t Kansas anymore. It’s not the American Hockey League.”

Low-value franchise?

Despite setting franchise records with 47 wins and 103 points last season, with an estimated value of $235 million, the Panthers rank second to last on Forbes’ list of NHL franchises through the 2015-16 season.

According to the magazine’s website, the Panthers’ value has increased 26 percent from last year, when they ranked dead last with an estimated value of just $186 million.

The Panthers are off to a slow start this season, going 11-10-2 in their first 23 games. They fired coach

Gerard Gallant after losing Sunday to the Carolina Hurricanes.

For the second year in a row, the New York Rangers rank first with a $1.25 billion valuation.

The Hurricanes are last on the list with an estimated value of $230 million.

PAUL SANCYA/AP Florida Panthers left wing Jussi Jokinen (36) shoots as Detroit Red Wings Danny DeKeyser and Frans Nielsen (51) defend during the first period of the game Thursday in Detroit. The Panthers won the game 2-1 in overtime.