November 15, 2024; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Nashville Predators center Steven Stamkos (91) during the third period against the Calgary Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Image The visiting Detroit Red Wings and Nashville Predators will meet Monday at 2 PM ET to continue their fight for the playoffs.
Both suffered losses Saturday night. The Red Wings lost 5-2 to the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh, NC, while the Predators dropped a 3-2 overtime decision to the host Dallas Stars.
Detroit earned the first wild card spot in a packed Eastern Conference, but is just 2-4-1 in its last seven games.
“I thought the game was really fast from the beginning. It was going both ways very quickly,” Red Wings coach Todd MacLellan said. “A lot of (Carolina’s) offensive opportunities came off our tape. We had it, we made a mistake and they went the other way. They’re a really good team that took advantage of that.”
Detroit’s goals came from defensemen Simon Edvinsson and Patrick Kane 47 seconds apart in the final two minutes of the second period.
Kane’s ninth goal of the season broke a 14-game drought and was his 501st career goal. Kane passed Lanny McDonald and moved into 49th place on the all-time list.
Edvinsson’s goal made the night a little easier for the young defender. The Hurricanes’ first goal came when his shot was blocked by Taylor Hall, who chased the puck and scored on a breakaway. And Sebastian Aho’s attempted pass hit Edvinson’s body and led to Carolina’s second goal.
The Red Wings scored twice in the bottom of the second to tie the game at 3-2, but the Hurricanes scored twice in the first six minutes of the third period to seal Detroit’s fate.
Cam Talbot made 31 saves.
Despite leading 2-0 at halftime, Nashville had to settle for one point in an overtime loss to Dallas.
Steven Stamkos, who scored his 30th goal, said: “It’s disappointing not to get two points, but getting three points out of four at the break is definitely a positive. We need as many points as possible.” “We talked about just staying the course and trying to get the points together little by little. We’ll take it, but we felt like the game was there to take it.”
The Predators are out of a playoff spot and are 1-1-2 in their last four games.
This is the 10th time in his career that Stamkos has reached the 30-goal mark. This ranks third among active players. Alex Ovechkin reached 19 and Sidney Crosby reached 13.
Michael Bunting also scored and Luke Evangelista had two assists. Juuse Saros stopped 22 shots.
“During the first period, we skated with vision and were physical. It was a really fun first period. For us, we thought that was the style of play we wanted to continue,” Stamkos said. “(After) we couldn’t handle the puck that quickly.”
Defender Adam Willsby left the game early in the second quarter with a lower body injury.
–Field level media
