There are at least two things you do not want to do when you play against the Detroit Red Wings. You do not want to turn the puck over in your own end and you can not put that skillful bunch on the powerplay. The Carolina Hurricanes did just enough of both last night as the Wings put an end to the Hurricanes three game winning streak, 3-1.
The Red Wings scored goals after each of the first two penalties of the game against Carolina. When the Canes tightened things up by scoring a goal of their own in the third, a subsequent unforced turnover in their own end led to yet another goal for the home team, which in affect ended the game.
Cam Ward started his 14th consecutive game and played well. He was kept busy throughout most of the affair and even made one highlight reel save after he lost his mask.
Rookie Jerome Samson took the game's first penalty about midway through the first period. Nicklas Lidstrom would score from the point shortly afterward. The Hurricanes took plenty of shots that first period, but did not really get much traffic in front of Detroit goalie Jimmy Howard.
Just one minute and change into the second period, Jussi Jokinen was called for interference and Drew Miller scored for the Wings just nine seconds later.
In the third period, the Hurricanes started to put more pressure on in the Wings' zone. The line of Brandon Sutter, Tom Kostopoulos, and Jiri Tlusty came close a few times and finally cashed in when Kostopoulos knocked in a Sutter rebound.
It looked like the Canes had the home team on the run for a bit as they ramped up the pressure with the forecheck, but with about five minutes left, Niclas Wallin made a pass along the boards directly to Todd Bertuzzi, who then sent a perfect pass toward the crease that Henrik Zetterberg tipped past Ward. That was the game.
Game Notes:
- Wallin had a rough game as not only did he have the crucial turnover to Bertuzzi leading to Detroit's third goal, he also mishandled the puck after that which led to yet another steal and another near-goal. He ended up taking a hooking penalty as he tried to recover. Also, Cam Ward had to make an unsuspecting save earlier in the game as the defenseman nearly put the puck in his own net.
- Cam Ward made 32 saves on 35 shots and had a solid game.
- Brandon Sutter once again played an outstanding game. The kid is all over the ice and came close to scoring a couple of times. If only the rest of the team had his energy level.
- Tom Kostopoulos also continues to shine.
- Brett Carson led the team with four blocked shots. He and Tim Gleason were the only blueliners who were not credited with a giveaway in the game. Carson also finished at +1 and had three hits.
- Tim Gleason had six hits, a team high.
- The Hurricanes had 38 shots on goal as Ray Whitney and Joni Pitkanen had five shots each.
- The team went 0-2 on the powerplay and did not help their 28th overall ranking in the league.
Carolina will face Atlanta on Saturday night, the same team that destroyed them by scoring five consecutive goals in the third period to win the last time they were in Raleigh. It should be interesting.