The Carolina Hurricanes stifle the Detroit Red Wings Tuesday night

The Carolina Hurricanes marched into Little Caesars Arena Tuesday evening and spoiled the party. The Detroit Red Wings were bested by the Hurricanes 1-0. For Detroit, it’s their third straight loss. Carolina finished up a stellar six-game road trip going 5-0-1.

Before the start of the game, the Detroit Red Wings had a celebration prepared for forward David Perron, who played his 1,000th career NHL game in Dallas over the weekend. The Red Wings gifted the veteran forward a beautiful crystal, along with a silver stick. Perron’s two children each also received silver mini-sticks.

The Detroit Red Wings players pooled together and gifted Perron an all-expenses-paid golf trip. The most heartwarming part of the night followed the ceremony. Perron’s son joined his father on Detroit’s blueline for the National Anthem moments ahead of the puck dropping.

Perron scored a goal in Dallas in his 1,000th career game, which was pretty fitting. Perron is a top-line winger that’s notched nine goals and 21 points over his first 28 games with Detroit. The 34-year-old winger has proven to be a valuable offseason addition by general manager (GM) Steve Yzerman.

The Detroit Red Wings were stifled by the Carolina Hurricanes.

First things first. Dylan Larkin took a shot off the hand near the end of the first period and left the bench with just over a minute to go. The Detroit captain would return for the second period but did not come out for the third period. Following the game, head coach Derek Lalonde mentioned that Larkin would not play Wednesday evening in Minnesota. With Larkin out, Joe Veleno was elevated by head coach Derek Lalonde spending time on the top line between Perron and Lucas Raymond.

During the pre-game show on Bally Sports Detroit, Ken Daniels and Mickey Redmond highlighted the Hurricanes’ top-four defenders. The group includes Brent Burns, Jaccob Slavin, Brett Pesce, and Brady Skjei. The first three mentioned all average over 22 minutes of ice time per night, and Skjei, who scored Carolina’s first goal Tuesday, averages just over 21 minutes of work per game.

Skjei recorded Carolina’s lone goal; it was on the power play after a nifty spin-o-rama pass at the side of the net from Seth Jarvis. Burns led the Hurricanes’ defense with well over 23 minutes of ice time despite sitting four minutes in the penalty box. Carolina’s point leader, Martin Necas (12-16-28), also played over 23 minutes.

Carolina became a constant Stanley Cup contender under the direction of Rod Bind’Amour with their ‘run and gun’ fast-paced identity. Tuesday night, we saw a different-looking Hurricanes’ club, one that often held the Detroit Red Wings to the outside, limiting their scoring chances with a  tremendous focus on team defense.

The Detroit Red Wings failed to record a shot on goal during their first three power-play opportunities. Imagine that. The Hurricanes often pressured the puck, keeping Detroit to the outside, forcing Detroit to move it quickly, at times, erratically rather than sitting back in a box or diamond. Detroit’s third power-play advantage was cut short due to a tripping penalty of their own assessed to Dominik Kubalik, but imagine not generating a single shot on goal over five minutes of power-play time. Sheesh. Let’s give the Hurricanes plenty of credit; Carolina’s penalty kill looked every bit as advertised as the pre-game 79% success rate suggested. The Hurricanes entered the night allowing just 73 total goals on the season, which ranks fifth best.

Carolina goaltender, Pyotr Kochetkov, posted back-to-back shutouts for Carolina. It’s the first rookie netminder to record back-to-back shutouts for the Hurricanes/Whalers franchise.

The Detroit Red Wings didn’t really force much offensive pressure garnering just five high-scoring chances to Carolina’s 11 but did perform exceptionally well defensively. Filip Hronek led the Red Wings with over 24 minutes of ice time, and Moritz Seider played just over 21 minutes, blocking two shots. The main concern tonight is the health of captain Dylan Larkin.

Detroit’s player of the game was undoubtedly netminder Ville Husso once again. Husso made 26 saves in the loss but continued his steady as a rock play, especially early on in the first period when Detroit forgot their legs in the dressing room.

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The Detroit Red Wings will be able to wash the sour taste out of their mouths from tonight’s loss reasonably quickly as they travel to Minnesota to take on the Wild Wednesday evening.