DETROIT — Jordan Staal broke a tie midway through the second period and the Carolina Hurricanes held off the Detroit Red Wings 2-1 on Thursday night.
Jack Drury also scored for Carolina and Pyotr Kochetkov made 25 saves. The Hurricanes finished off a six-game trip with consecutive victories after dropping the first four.
“It was a rough start to the trip, but tonight was a really good game all the way,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “I loved our second and third periods — we didn’t give up a ton and we created a lot of chances.”
Kochetkov made 31 saves in a 4-1 victory over Ottawa on Tuesday.
“The last two games, he’s been solid and tonight the other guy was making a ton of saves and we needed him to match that,” Brind’Amour said. “It’s kind of the game that goes on within the game.”
Michael Rasmussen scored for Detroit in the second period for his 100th career point. Ville Husso stopped 36 shots for the Red Wings. They have lost four of five.
Drury opened the scoring seconds after the Red Wings killed off a penalty. He tipped in Stefan Noesen’s shot at 4:48 of the first period.
Rasmussen tied it at 5:20 of the second on a shot from the right circle that beat Kochetkov on the short side.
A fortunate carom allowed the Hurricanes to regain the advantage with 8:12 left in the second. Brett Pesce dumped the puck into Detroit’s zone. Husso strayed from the crease to retrieve the puck, but it took an odd bounce and Staal tapped it in.
“I’m trying to get into their end as fast as I can, and it was kind of a misplay — the goalie was coming out and he missed the puck the first time,” Staal said. “I saw it bounce off the wall and come out toward the net. Obviously, it was a fortunate bounce coming back the other way as well. You just take those when you can.”
Detroit coach Derek Lalonde felt Husso kept his team in the game.
“He was excellent. It’s frustrating because (it was) his best game in awhile and then obviously the miscue,” Lalonde said. “Probably reflects our overall game a little bit where we have to be good all the time. Kind of feel for Ville that ends up being the game-winner.”
A tripping penalty against the Red Wings’ Andrew Copp with 2:53 remaining in the game hampered their chances of getting the tying goal.
Detroit has been limited to five goals in the last four meetings with Carolina.
“They’re about as aggressive a team as you’re going to play, especially on the forecheck,” defenseman Ben Chiarot said. “They sell out pretty much on every puck.”
Detroit played without its top two centers, Dylan Larkin and J.T. Compher, who are on injured reserve. David Perron served the third game of his six-game league suspension for cross-checking Ottawa’s Artem Zub.
The Hurricanes host Nashville on Friday night.
