TRAVERSE CITY, MICH. – The Carolina Hurricanes lost 5-4 in overtime to the host Detroit Red Wings in their final game in the 2014 NHL Prospect Tournament at Centre I.C.E. Arena on Tuesday.
The loss put the Hurricanes in fourth place overall with a 2-1-1 record in the eight-team competition as the Columbus Blue Jackets claimed the tournament title with a 3-2 OT win over the Dallas Stars, while the Red Wings claimed third place accordingly.
Though Carolina didn’t win the tournament, it finished two spots higher than the 2013 squad, and possessed the leading scorer of the tournament for the second consecutive year.
Forward Victor Rask posted four goals and four assists in four games and sat atop the event’s scoring list, similar to Sergey Tolchinsky’s finish last year.
Tolchinsky and Brock McGinn finished tied for second in team scoring with two goals and three assists apiece.
Goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic finished with a tournament best 1.96 goals-against-average.
In special teams play, Carolina finished second overall in power play situations (8-20, 40%) and third overall on the penalty kill (3-19, 84%).
Up next for 17 players from the Traverse City roster will be to carry the momentum of their experiences from summer conditioning camp and tournament play into the Hurricanes main training camp that opens with physicals on Thursday and on-ice work beginning on Friday.