SUNRISE, Fla. -- There were three crucial video reviews and all three went against the Florida Panthers.

That, more than anything, explains why the Detroit Red Wings were able to rally from a two-goal deficit to defeat the Panthers 4-3 in a shootout on Friday night at the BB&T Center.

Rookie goalie Jared Coreau, making just his second NHL start, picked up his first win, with help, of course, from controversial calls.

"It's Christmas time," Coreau, 25, said, "so this was a Christmas gift to myself."

Thomas Vanek and Frans Nielsen scored in the shootout, spoiling Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo's first attempt to move into sole possession of fifth place in the NHL career wins list. Luongo and Terry Sawchuk are tied at 447 wins.

The Panthers (15-14-6) got goals from Reilly Smith, Jason Demers and Derek MacKenzie. However, Smith left the game in the second period after taking a hard hit from Niklas Kronwall. Smith was ruled to have a concussion and is expected to miss at least one week.

Detroit (15-15-4) got goals from Anthony Mantha, Drew Miller and Nielsen. Miller scored with 18:24 left in third period. Nielsen scored with 6:09 left in the third.

One of the turning points in the game came with 5:42 left in the second period. Florida defenseman Keith Yandle appeared to score on a wrist shot. But the goal was waived off because Florida's Nick Bjugstad was in the crease.

"I'm not going there," said Panthers coach Tom Rowe, who then went right there. "I thought it was a fair goal.

"They viewed it as if (Coreau) doesn't have room to work and make the save, they call the goal off. By the rulebook, they were right."

MacKenzie said it was a "weird" game.

"That might have been the difference in the game," MacKenzie said of the Yandle shot. "We can chalk it up to bad breaks or the refs or bad luck, but we're trying."

Coreau thought it was interference but seemed undecided.

"If he's in the crease, I guess it is interference," he said. "He didn't touch me -- maybe a little bit on my stick. But I guess if he is taking up my space ... I'm not really sure."

The second controversial play that went in Detroit's favor was a shootout goal by Vincent Trocheck that was later waved off. Upon review, Trocheck's shot hit the right post and then the left post and never went over the line.

"I thought it did (go in)," Coreau said. "I didn't think he had any room, but he put it between my skate and the post. I did feel it hit the back side of my right foot. ... Everyone thought it went in until they showed it on the big screen."

Rowe didn't dispute that the puck never went in, but he was upset that the replay was shown on the big screen, which he thinks spurred a review.

Perhaps a review would have happened anyway ... or perhaps not.

Despite the Trocheck goal getting wiped out, the Panthers were still in good shape when Aleksander Barkov scored. A shootout goal by Thomas Vanek tied it 1-1.

That set up the winning shootout goal by Nielsen, who tried to make a backhand-to-forehand move. The puck slipped off his stick and went between Luongo's legs. The goal was reviewed to see whether it was hit twice by Nielsen ... but it was ruled a good goal.

"If he hits it twice, it's not a goal," Rowe said. "But I guess they viewed it as not that way."

Nielsen said he didn't think he double-hit the puck.

"Luckily," he said, "it rolled off my blade."

The Panthers still had one more chance, but Bjugstad was stopped by Coreau, and the first NHL win of his career was in the books.

"I don't know how to describe it," Coreau said, "except to say it's a relief. ... It was a blur."

NOTES: Detroit, which ranks last in the NHL on the power play, went 0 of 5. In their past 11 games, the Wings are 1 of 37 with the man advantage. ... Detroit G Jimmy Howard (knee sprain) will be out a lot longer than the original one-week timetable. Wings GM Ken Holland said Howard, 32, will miss four to six weeks. Howard, who missed six games earlier this season because of a groin injury, ranks fourth in NHL in save percentage (.934) and sixth in goals-against average (1.96). … Detroit scratched D Mike Green (lower-body injury), RW Tomas Jurco and D Brian Lashoff. ... Florida scratched D Dylan McIlrath, LW Shawn Thornton and C Denis Malgin. ... The Panthers are now off until they host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday. The Panthers host the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday and close the calendar year by playing at the Dallas Stars on Dec. 31. ... The Wings return home to face the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday. The Wings close out their calendar year by playing at the Ottawa Senators on Thursday.