Recap: Canes bounce back with dominant win over Predators

Following a lackluster effort in a 3-1 loss to Detroit Monday, the Carolina Hurricanes came up with exactly the response they needed Thursday in a 4-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings.

The Canes shook off a bit of a choppy first period and dominated over the final 40 minutes en route to their victory.

Vincent Trocheck and Andrei Svechnikov each picked up a goal and an assist and Warren Foegele and Sebastian Aho each tallied for the Canes Thursday night.

Petr Mrazek was strong in net, stopping 19 of 20 Predators shots and several grade-A opportunities, with his lone blemish coming on a third period shorthanded breakaway.

The Canes’ penalty kill was superb in this one, killing off all four Nashville opportunities and only allowing one Predators power-play shot, often making it difficult for Nashville to even gain the zone.

The Predators nearly jumped in front about halfway through the first period off a failed Canes clearing attempt, but Mrazek kicked out his right pad to make a spectacular point-blank save on Nick Cousins.

The Canes did not have their A-game for much of the first period, but, following a successful penalty kill, jumped in front with under two minutes left in the opening frame. Jordan Staal hustled down the ice to get to a loose puck ahead of an opponent, and fired a cross-crease pass to Foegele that the later made no mistake on to put Carolina up 1-0.

The Canes wasted no time doubling their lead in the second period, as Dougie Hamilton made a slick feed up to Svechnikov in transition, and Svechnikov beat Juuse Saros on the backhand to snap a seven-game goal drought and make it 2-0.

About five minutes later, the Canes extended their lead to 3-0 with Trocheck’s 17th of the season, as he followed up his own rebound of a shot off the rush from the left circle and knocked it home. Brett Pesce picked up an assist on the goal for his 100th NHL assist.

The Canes nearly went up 4-0 late in the period, but Hamilton zipped a shot off the goal post. Carolina dominated the second period overall, outshooting the Predators 14-6, controlling possession and hemming Nashville into its own zone for long stretches.

Former Hurricane Erik Haula ended Mrazek’s shutout bid with a shorthanded breakaway goal about halfway through the third period, but it was too little too late.

The Canes rounded out the scoring with two minutes and change left on the power play, as Aho buried a slick cross-ice pass from Trocheck to make it 4-1.

With Thursday night’s win, the Canes are 5-0 in five tries against Nashville this season. They’ll look to make it six and close out this five-game homestand on a high note Saturday.