RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Teuvo Teravainen had a goal and assist for his first points in more than two months, and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Detroit Red Wings 3-1 on Thursday night to stretch their points streak to nine games.
Teravainen was in his second game back after sitting out 32 of 33 games because of a concussion. He hadn’t recorded a point since Feb. 19.
“I just try to make simple plays and all those little plays,” Teravainen said. “I try to be battle ready. … I think (I was) around the puck a little bit more. Otherwise, I think I felt fine both games.”
Brady Skjei and Warren Foegele also scored and Sebastian Aho registered two assists for the Hurricanes, who opened a five-game homestand. They clinched a playoff berth earlier in the week at Dallas.
Having Teravainen back producing offensively could be key in the playoffs for the Hurricanes.
“Looks like he really didn’t miss a beat, so that’s a real positive sign,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “It’s nice for him to get a goal for his own confidence.”
Skjei was in his first game back after missing four games because of a concussion. He has a goal in two of his last three games.
Carolina goalie James Reimer played just his fourth game in April, making 16 saves for his team-high 15th victory.
Jakub Vrana scored for Detroit. Jonathan Bernier stopped 29 shots for the Red Wings, who’ve won once in their last seven games (1-3-3).
Detroit put only three shots on goal in the third period.
“We’ve got to get more pucks to the net, get traffic in front,” Red Wings center Luke Glendening said. “We’ve talked about it a lot, but we’ve got to find a way to score dirty goals.”
Foegele’s goal was set up by a giveaway from the Red Wings. A turnover by the Hurricanes led directly to Vrana’s goal later in the second period.
NOT THIS TIME
This was the final meeting of the season between teams on the opposite ends of the Central Division standings.
The seventh-place Red Wings have four of their 17 wins this season against the first-place Hurricanes, their most against any opponent.
This final matchup didn’t shake out well for the Red Wings.
“Against this team, you have to play in their end,” Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said. “You can’t let them play in your own end a whole bunch. They’re one of the best teams in the league for a reason.”
200 ... AND COUNTING
Brind’Amour coached his 200th regular-season game for Carolina, improving to 117-64-19.
He’s the first coach in franchise history to guide the team to playoff berths in each of his first three seasons. Only two other active NHL coaches had a better points percentage through 200 career games.
“It certainly helps to have good players,” Brind’Amour said. “At the end of the day, you can do a lot of good things if you have great players.”
Right winger Andrei Svechnikov has been in Brind’Amour’s lineup every time. He appeared in his 200th game Thursday night, becoming the first player from the 2018 draft class to reach that milestone.
BACK AT IT
Skjei said it has taken time for his offensive production to kick in. He might be hitting a groove even after the brief interruption in his season.
He missed the last four games of the team’s six-game road stretch.
“I took a little time to settle in,” Skjei said of the return to action. “But I think the second and third (periods) I got back to my game and started playing a lot better.”
Skjei said it was good to have time to work out any kinks before the postseason.
“You got to be cautious with any kind of head injury like that,” Skjei said. “Concussions are definitely scary things. Each concussion is different.”
UP NEXT
Red Wings: Host Tampa Bay on Saturday and again on Sunday.
Hurricanes: Host Columbus on Saturday night.
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