Carolina Hurricanes vs. Detroit Red Wings Recap: A Deflating Shootout Loss

RALEIGH — After taking a two goal lead into the third period, the Carolina Hurricanes allowed the Red Wings to crawl back into the game and forced overtime and a shootout. The Canes severely outshot Detroit in regulation (52 to 28) but of course couldn’t get enough of them past back up goaltender Jonathan Bernier.

The Hurricanes started slow and out of sync with sloppy passing and early defensive breakdowns. Both sides were able to generate some decent early chances in what shaped up to be a pretty exciting first period with 27 total shots on goal. The Red Wings got on the board first off a clean faceoff win back to Nick Jensen. He looked across the zone and found Andreas Athanasiou primed for a shot, who sent a low one-timer through Scott Darling’s legs from above the faceoff circle. It was a quick shot off of a great pass from Jensen, but ultimately a goal that Darling should have been able to get in front of.

The Hurricanes fourth line responded eight minutes later after a great shift of sustained offensive zone time. After Phil Di Giuseppe found Haydn Fleury at the point, he fired one on net through a lot of traffic in front and Brock McGinn was able to finish it. The teams went into the locker room tied at one.

The Hurricanes were noticably sharper to start the second period, dominating the Red Wings in zone time and earning themselves a few power plays with their sustained attack. Special teams looked good during the first power play, generating a couple of great scoring chances, the best of which came when Sebastian Aho found Micheal Ferland in the slot who redirected the puck barely north of the bar. But the two were able to connect during the next power play on a nearly identical play. This time, Ferland didn’t miss and the Canes went up 2-1.

With three minutes left in the period, the Hurricanes stretched their lead to three goals when Ferland threaded a pass to Aho in front of the net and Bernier made a big pad save. Dougie Hamilton streaked in and put away the second chance opportunity. The Canes carried a two goal lead into the final intermission in a period that they allowed only seven shots on goal and dominated in almost every other category.

The Red Wings opened up the scoring in the third period when Anthony Mantha streaked into the zone and fired one short side on Darling. Just a few minutes later, the Wings scored again when Mantha netted his second goal of the period. He tried an attempt on net that was thwarted by Pesce, but he was able to corral the puck and sneak one past Darling on the blocker side. And just like that, the game was tied at three.

The Canes were able to generate a lot of great chances late in the third period, including a Jordan Staal partial breakaway in which he was hooked. But the late period power play wasn’t too exciting. Despite a two goal lead going into the third period and then numerous chances to tie it up late, the game went into overtime.

Mantha should have secured himself a hat trick to ice the game when he caught a pass on the back doorstep, but Darling was able to get across and make an unbelievable glove save, then get across to the other post to make a kick save on the rebound shot by Mike Green. The extra period came to an end shortly thereafter with the score still tied.

Jaccob Slavin and Dylan Larkin missed, and Frans Nielsen converted. Aho was called out for the Hurricanes’ last chance, but couldn’t put it in.

Quotes

Here’s a candid Rod Brind’Amour in his post game presser:

Postgame Thoughts

• All three regulation goals against were resonably saveable. It’s difficult for a goaltender to stay locked into the game through a second period in which he sees only seven shots, but Scott Darling has to make those stops in the third period. That being said, he made two incredible saves in the overtime period to keep the Canes in the game.
• This was perhaps the worst loss to date this season. Logging over 50 shots, a lot of them good quality chances, and taking a two goal lead into the third period only to blow it to an average to below average Red Wings team is a bad way to start a six game homestand.
• On the bright side, the fourth line looked great tonight. They generated a lot of offensive zone time and a goal to boot. Phil Di Guiseppe is making a push for more ice time at the NHL level.
• Lucas Wallmark had 16:44 of ice time tonight. The rookie forward was on the first power play unit and took a shift in overtime.
• The team is back in action on Monday night in Raleigh against Cam Ward and the Blackhawks.