RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Stefan Noesen and Jordan Martinook scored early and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Detroit Red Wings 4-1 Tuesday night to maintain their hold on first place in the Metropolitan Division with one game remaining in the regular season.
Brent Burns and Jesperi Kotkaniemi also scored and Antti Raanta made 20 saves as the Hurricanes shed a slump that included the team’s only three-game stretch without a point this season.
Carolina has 111 points, one more than the New Jersey Devils. A victory Thursday night at Florida would give the Hurricanes a division title for the third season in a row. With the win, the Hurricanes clinched a home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
Robert Hagg scored for the Red Wings, who lost their fourth straight game. Former Carolina goalie Alex Nedeljkovic made 25 saves for Detroit.
Dominating early, Noesen’s wrap-around goal gave the Hurricanes the lead just 2:46 into the game.
Martinook, waiting at the side of the net, banged in Brady Skjei’s pass from inside the blue line at 7:50 of the first for a two-goal edge.
Detroit converted on its ninth shot of the game as Hagg scored for the second time this season, at 5:05 of the second.
A blast by Burns restored Carolina’s two-goal lead at 9:10 of the second. The puck bounced off Joe Veleno’s backside and into the net.
Kotkaniemi 17th goal came with 41.8 seconds to play.
NOTES: The Hurricanes finished with a 28-10-3 home record, marking the third-most wins on home ice in franchise history. … Following Monday night’s loss at Ottawa, Carolina improved to 10-2-2 in the second part of games on back-to-back days this season. … Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin, dealing with a lower-body injury suffered a night earlier in the home finale, was out of the lineup for just the second time this season. He has a career-high 79 points. … During the game, the Hurricanes announced the signing of goalie Yaniv Perets of NCAA champion Quinnipiac to a two-year, entry-level contract.
UP NEXT
Red Wings: At Tampa Bay on Thursday to conclude the season.
Hurricanes: At Florida on Thursday to end the regular season.
