Erne gets shootout winner, Red Wings beat Hurricanes 5-4

RALEIGH, N.C. - Adam Erne scored in the seventh round of the shootout as the Detroit Red Wings beat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-4 on Saturday night.

Erne also scored his team’s last goal in regulation, giving him four goals in the last six games.

"It has been going well lately," Erne said. "I’m just trying to stick to my game. Just trying to take advantage of the opportunities that I get."

Dylan Larkin, Anthony Mantha and Valtteri Filppula had the other goals in regulation for Detroit. Larkin also scored in the shootout. Thomas Greiss finished with 30 saves.

Martin Necas, Jordan Staal, Dougie Hamilton and Sebastian Aho scored for the Hurricanes. Andrei Svechnikov extended the shootout in the third round for Carolina.

Petr Mrazek stopped 25 shots for the Hurricanes, who had a three-game winning streak end.

"I thought it was a really gritty effort," Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said. "They came out and gave it to us early. As the game went on, I thought our compete level was excellent."

Even with the result, the Hurricanes hold a franchise record for points through 40 games with a 27-9-4 record.

Carolina began the weekend atop the Central Division standings. It’s 3-1-1 in a scheduled eight-game homestand.

"It wasn’t a terrible game from us, but we all know that we can be better," Necas said.

Erne scored with 6:20 remaining in regulation to put Detroit up 4-3.

"Adam has got good hands," Blashill said. "He scored in juniors. He scored in the American (Hockey) League."

Erne said he doesn’t want to put too much stock in being in a groove. He just wants the production to continue.

"I’m comfortable with it right now," Erne said. "One game, one day at a time. Just trying to stick with that."

Carolina responded with Aho’s goal at the 4-minute mark to tie it.

The Hurricanes nearly tied it earlier on Nino Niederreiter’s redirection with 5:13 to play, but a video review wiped out the tally because of goalie interference.

"They go right back out the next couple of shifts and at least get us a point and a chance to win the game in overtime or the shootout," Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. "That’s the positive."

The Red Wings, who won for the second time in their last seven games, were coming off their fourth loss by five goals or more with Thursday night’s 7-1 decision against visiting Nashville.

CHALLENGING DECISION

The Red Wings used a coach’s challenge in overturning the third-period goal that would have tied the game initially. Blashill said it’s a difficult decision, particularly if it doesn’t work out and the game is tied and his team goes a man down.

"You can’t be careless because it is a penalty coming back the other way," Blashill said.

Yet anytime there’s a reasonable chance to take a goal off the board for the opponent it’s a risk worth taking, he said.

"That’s a huge difference in the game," Blashill said. "They did score after, but without the successful challenge maybe that’s the winning goal for them instead of the tying goal."

ON THE ICE

Defenseman Jake Gardiner was back in action for the Hurricanes. Gardiner missed the past 15 games and had played only once since Feb. 24. He took Haydn Fleury’s spot in the lineup.

Winger Brock McGinn remained out for the Hurricanes, missing his third consecutive game with an upper-body injury.

IT HAD BEEN A WHILE

Greiss hadn’t allowed three goals in any of his last three games. He gave up three in the first 30 minutes in this one.

Although Greiss has played in 27 of the Red Wings’ 43 games this season, this was only his second appearance against Carolina. The other came in a season-opening loss, when he made a season-high 40 saves.

Three of the goalie’s four wins this season have come in road games.

UP NEXT

The teams meet in a rematch Monday night in Raleigh.