The Carolina Hurricanes opened a new season Thursday with the kind of effort that should please their coach, Rod Brind’Amour.
The Canes took the early lead against the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. They were physical. They got their shots and limited the Wings’ opportunities in helping goalie Petr Mrazek face just 14 shots in the shutout.
The Canes won 3-0 in their first Central Division game, getting an even strength goal from Nino Niederreiter early in the game, a power-play goal by Ryan Dzingel late in the third and then a final empty-netter by Andrei Svechnikov.
Niederreiter, who earned a spot on the top line with Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen in training camp, gave the Canes their first goal of the season. The Canes had other good scoring chances and a big shooting edge but it remaining 1-0 deep into the third period.
Dzingel scored on the power play by going to the front of the net and getting a piece of a Jake Gardiner shot.
Canes defenseman Brady Skjei got in a jarring hit in the first period. Defenseman Dougie Hamilton then dropped the gloves and fired some fists at the Wings’ Sam Gagner in the second.
Aho was active and effective all game and his line produced some good scoring chances. Niederreiter, coming off an indifferent 2019-20 season, had some promising looks at a second goal while Teravainen was more noticeable this night with some heady defensive plays in the game.
The Canes and Red Wings face off again Saturday to finish off the two-game set to open the season.
