Hurricanes top Red Wings 3-1

Peter Koutroumpis, Triangle Sports Network
Peter Koutroumpis, Triangle Sports Network
Peter Koutroumpis, Triangle Sports Network

DETROIT, MICH. – The Carolina Hurricanes completed the season series against the Detroit Red Wings with a 3-1 win at Joe Louis Arena on Tuesday.

Victor Rask, Ron Hainsey, and Eric Staal all scored singles, while goaltender Cam Ward made 25 saves in the Hurricanes’ winning effort that snapped a recent two-game losing streak.

Following a scoreless opening period, Rask took advantage of a giveaway by Detroit goaltender Petr Mrazek (18 saves) to put Carolina ahead 1-0 at 12:26 in the second period.

It was Rask’s third goal of the season.

Following a Jakub Kindl goal that evened the score 1-1 at 17:44, the Hurricanes tallied their final two goals in the third.

Hainsey scored his first of the year on a point shot that made it past Mrazek and became the eventual game-winner, while Staal tucked away the insurance marker, his third of the season, into an empty Red Wings net with 30 seconds remaining in regulation.

“The guys played well, the guys played hard,” Carolina head coach Bill Peters said afterwards.

The win was Carolina’s second in the two teams’ three-game series, having earned a 5-3 win in the Motor City on Oct. 16, after dropping a 4-3 decision to Detroit in Raleigh back on Oct. 10.

Currently sitting tied for 13th place in the NHL’s Eastern conference with a 3-6 record, the Hurricanes return home to prepare for one final road game against the New York Islanders on Thursday before beginning a four-game home stand at PNC Arena on Friday against the Colorado Avalanche.

Boxscore: Carolina 3, Detroit 1