Niederreiter's two goals fuel Hurricanes win against Red Wings

RALEIGH, N.C. --Nino Niederreiter's second goal broke a third-period tie, and the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Detroit Red Wings 5-3 at PNC Arena on Thursday.

Jack Drury scored in his NHL debut, and Frederik Andersen made 23 saves for the Hurricanes (20-7-1), who have won five of their past six games. Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Jesper Fast, Martin Necas and Teuvo Teravainen each had two assists.
The Hurricanes were missing six skaters, including leading scorer Sebastian Aho, due to NHL COVID-19 protocol. Three players were recalled from Chicago of the American Hockey League.
"Guys gutted it out, there's no doubt about it," Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour said. "That was tough being shorthanded there. Obviously, all the guys we had to bring in did a real nice job."
Dylan Larkin had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings (14-13-3), who have lost four of five. Alex Nedeljkovic made 28 saves in his first game against his former team.
"I thought they were harder in the first period in front of our net than we were, and they won more of those little stick battles in front of the net," Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said. "I don't think we gave up a whole bunch after that in terms of chances at all."
Niederreiter scored the game-winning goal on a wrist shot that went in off the right post for a 4-3 lead just 18 seconds into the third period.
"It was the same attitude right from the beginning of the game, to create chances and get some pucks to the net," Niederreiter said. "It was a great play by Necas getting it out, and I had a chance to do the rest."

His first of the night, a power-play play goal, gave the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead at 2:05 of the first period. Nedeljkovic stopped a shot by Andrew Poturalski, but the rebound went off Fast to Niederreiter for the finish at the right post. Poturalski earned his first NHL point, playing in his third career game and first of the season.
Sam Gagner tied it 1-1 at 5:32 when he spun in the right face-off circle and scored a short-side goal over Andersen's glove.
Tony DeAngelo pinched in to score on a rebound off the glass for a 2-1 lead at 7:36. DeAngelo returned after missing seven games in NHL COVID-19 protocol.
Larkin made it 2-2 at 13:54 when he took a pass from Lucas Raymond in the neutral zone and scored five-hole on a breakaway.
Drury gave Carolina a 3-2 lead with 1:20 remaining in the period. He took a pass from Kotkaniemi and shot from the high slot before scoring on his own rebound.
"I was thinking about making a pass at first, then I thought, shoot it," Drury said. "Once I was driving [to] the net, I wasn't thinking anything; just kind of instinctively react."

Detroit tied it 3-3 at 11:19 of the second period when Tyler Bertuzzi gathered a loose puck at the left post before tucking it in on the backhand at the left post.
"They were all over us," Larkin said. "They battled. Everything they got, we gave to them."
Vincent Trocheck scored an empty-net goal with five seconds remaining for the 5-3 final.
Detroit's struggles on the road continue, where it is 4-10-1.
"We've got to find ways to make sure we're not giving up four on the road," Blashill said. "Ultimately, we've just got to keep grinding and find ways to dig in and make sure, when the game is there to be had either way, we've got to make sure we step up in those situations."
NOTES: Red Wings defenseman Marc Staal played 10:18 after missing four games in NHL COVID-19 protocol. … Nedeljkovic was 15-5-3 with a 1.90 goals-against average and .932 save percentage as a rookie for Carolina last season. … Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce missed seven games in NHL COVID-19 protocol. He had an assist and two shots on goal in a season-high 23:25. … Poturalski, 27, played two games with the Hurricanes in 2016-17. … Andersen has won four straight starts and is 10-0-1 against Detroit in his career. … Drury's father, Ted, played 414 games and scored 93 points (41 goals, 52 assists) in eight NHL seasons, including 50 games with the Hartford Whalers from 1993-95.