Kochetkov makes 25 saves, Hurricanes defeat Red Wings

DETROIT -- Pyotr Kochetkov made 25 saves for the Carolina Hurricanes in a 2-1 win against the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena on Thursday.

Jordan Staal broke a tie in the second period, and Jack Drury also scored for the Hurricanes (16-12-1), who won the last two of a six-game road trip after losing the first four. They host the Nashville Predators on Friday.

“This started out as a road trip from Hell, but the boys kept scrapping and we were able to get these last two,” said Staal, the Carolina captain. “[Kochetkov] played really well in both games, and he was really a difference-maker for us tonight.”

Michael Rasmussen scored, and Ville Husso made 37 saves for the Red Wings (15-10-4), who have lost four of their past five games (1-3-1).

“Ville was excellent,” Detroit coach Derek Lalonde said. “It’s frustrating, because that was his best game in a while, and then he had one miscue. That probably reflects our overall game a little bit. We have to be good all the time.”

Drury gave the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead at 4:48 of the first period, two seconds after its power play expired, when he tapped in Stefan Noesen’s pass before the Red Wings could get their penalty killers off the ice.

Rasmussen tied it 1-1 at 5:20 of the second period, sending a wrist shot over Kochetkov’s shoulder from the left face-off circle.

Staal scored at 11:49. Husso lunged for Brett Pesce’s dump-in, but the puck evaded him, hit the end boards and bounced back in front of the net, where Staal beat Husso and Detroit defenseman Justin Holl to the puck and pushed it over the goal line for the 2-1 final.

It was Staal’s fourth goal in 29 games this season.

“That’s Jordan’s game,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “He hasn’t been rewarded all that often this year. He’s had a tough, tough go on that side of things, so it was nice to see him get rewarded for all the work he does.”

Detroit nearly tied the game with 5:03 left in the third period, but Kochetkov slid across the crease to stop Alex DeBrincat’s one-timer off a Patrick Kane pass.

Kochetkov also made a point-blank save on Robby Fabbri with four seconds left.

“[Husso] made a lot of saves that kept his team in the game, and [Kochetkov] had to match him,” Brind’Amour said. “That’s the game that is going on inside the game.”

The Hurricanes outshot the Red Wings 14-7 in the third.

“They are about as aggressive a team as you’re going to play, especially on the forecheck,” Detroit defenseman Ben Chiarot said. “They sell out pretty much on every puck, and they’ve been doing it for a while now. There’s not a lot of room on the ice against them.”

NOTES: Staal won 13 of 16 face-offs (81.3 percent). … Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis had a game-high seven shots on goal and missed the net on a breakaway. … Each team played 11 forwards and seven defensemen. … Rasmussen’s goal was his 100th NHL point. … Red Wings forward David Perron served the third of a six-game suspension for cross-checking Ottawa Senators defenseman Artem Zub on Dec. 9.