RALEIGH, N. C. _ The Detroit Red Wings used their speed to generate a second straight victory and move closer to the playoff picture.
Darren Helm had a goal and two assists Friday at PNC Arena to lead the Wings to a 4-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. The Wings played fast, pressured the Hurricanes, and took advantage of subpar goaltending to earn a second straight victory.
Danny DeKeyser scored in the first period, the third time in four games the Wings have seen scoring from their back end. Defenseman Trevor Daley added his fifth goal of the season in the second period. Gustav Nyquist netted his 15th goal of the season in the third period, and Darren Helm put the game away when he emerged from the penalty box, got the puck on a breakaway and beat Scott Darling on a slap shot, earning loud cheers from the many Wings partisans in the stands.
The victory edges the Wings within six points of the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race, though there are three teams ahead of them.
The Wings were three seconds from killing off a penalty to Dylan Larkin when the Hurricanes scored. Justin Faulk aimed a slap shot on net, and Elias Lindholm screened Mrazek. Sebastian Aho got his stick on the puck in the paint and poked it across the goal line, at 8:16 of the first period. The Wings tied the game at 16:21. Helm played the puck off the boards and back to DeKeyser, who connected on a one-timer from the left point. Shots after the first period were 16-13 to the Wings.
Daley scored his second goal in as many games when he beat Darling glove-side at 5:06 of the second period. Helm passed him the puck, and Daley quickly released a shot up the middle to make it 2-1. Tyler Bertuzzi had a great chance to build on the lead late in the period when he got a hold of a rebound in front of the net, but Darling was able to stop the shot. Shots after two periods were 27-24 to the Wings.
Martin Frk directed a slap shot on net during the Wings' second power play, but they weren't able to get another shot on net during the 1:18 of the power play that spilled into the third period. Jacob Slavin blocked Larkin's attempt. Bertuzzi drew a penalty at 4:09 of the third period to put Detroit on a third power play. The Canes were able to gain possession of the puck and threatened to score. Mike Green tried a one-timer but Darling deflected the puck. The Wings have one goal on 11 power play opportunities dating back five games.
Henrik Zetterberg set Nyquist off on a two-on-one and Nyquist scored weak-side on Darling, making it 3-1 at 7:45 of the third period. With the assist, Zetterberg stands alone at fifth in franchise assist leaders with 605.
