As the holiday break concluded, the Detroit Red Wings headed into Carolina on a 3-game winning streak, hoping to add to the Hurricanes’ struggles as the Canes were riding a 3-game losing streak coming out of the Christmas break.
The Canes still stood upon the top of the Metropolitan Division, and Detroit, of course, is in a dogfight for a playoff spot in the highly-charged Atlantic.
On Saturday night in Raleigh, the Red Wings laid an egg, frankly, losing 5-2 in a game in which Detroit was out-shot 38-20 and out-shot-attempted 77-39.
Michael Rasmussen would open the scoring for the Wings, surprisingly, at 12:39 of the 1st, giving Detroit the lead, but Jason Blake (3:22 of the 2nd), Eric Robinson (4:37 of the 2nd) and Shayne Gostisbehere (15:22 of the 2nd) would break the game open with the Canes leading 3-1 after 2 periods…
And while the Red Wings rallied with an Andrew Copp PPG at 3:11 of the 3rd, Svechnikov would take advantage of a Dylan Larkin stumble at 13:09 of the 3rd, and Jordan Martinook would salt things away with an empty-netter at 18:39.
John Gibson gave up 4 on 37 shots, while Brandon Bussi continued his dominant NHL start with 18 stops on 20 shots.
PREGAME: John Gibson and Brandon Bussi led their respective teams onto the ice at the Lenovo Center:
LGRW 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/usMVlkaVcz
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 27, 2025
The Hurricanes posted their lineup close to game time…
Saturday squad reporting for duty pic.twitter.com/sfo62qscf6
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) December 28, 2025
While the Red Wings posted their lineup a little earlier in the evening:
Tonight's #DETvsCAR lineup ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/8KjdrJ1J7c
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 27, 2025
1ST PERIOD:
The teams dressed the following starters and lineups:

GOAL: Despite being out-shot 12-5, Detroit opened the scoring at 12:39 when J.T. Compher took the puck away from the Canes deep in their zone, fed Michael Rasmussen in the slot, and Rasmussen walked in and flittered a shot through Brandon Bussi’s 5-hole.
& HERE IS BIG RAS' GOAL GRAPHIC pic.twitter.com/nFeenaDdQy
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 28, 2025
Moose is loose! 🫎 pic.twitter.com/qEmT3J0yFf
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 28, 2025
A Big Ras beauty! pic.twitter.com/ODpdozGZht
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 28, 2025
Alexander Nikishin gave Marco Kasper a wake-up call with a nasty hit to #92’s head late in the 1st, too:
Oh my, Alexander Nikishin. 😯 pic.twitter.com/ctul1zqWhV
— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) December 28, 2025
Detroit 1, Carolina 0: Rasmussen (5) from Compher (8) at 12:39 1st period.
Up 1 after 20 pic.twitter.com/WhyNPqBNjP
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 28, 2025
End of the 1st period. Detroit 1, Carolina 0.
— George Malik (@georgemalik) December 28, 2025
Shots in the 1st 14-5 Carolina.
Shot attempts are 31-12 Carolina;
Hits 10-8 Carolina;
Giveaways 7-6 Detroit;
Takeaways 2-0 Carolina;
Blocked shots 7-0 Detroit;
Faceoffs 13-10 Detroit (57%). pic.twitter.com/gT4LIlRazA
2ND PERIOD:
GOAL: Sadly, the Canes were able to tie the game off a really weird deflection in which a Shane Gostisbehere shot was tipped off a couple of Red Wings players, and Jackson Blake tipped the puck past Gibson at 3:22 of the 2nd period.
Go to the net and good things happen.
— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) December 28, 2025
Goals in three in a row for Robby! pic.twitter.com/Lw7TDpsDqh
Stay in front of the net and good things happen 🚨 pic.twitter.com/l0qtyflwfB
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) December 28, 2025
Detroit 1, Carolina 1: Jackson Blake (11) from Gostisbehere (24) at 3:22 of the 2nd period.
GOAL: And again, the Wings turned over the puck at the offensive blueline, Carolina charged up 3 on 2 against Seider and Edvinsson while the two were on opposite sides of the net, and Aho set up Svechnikov for a shot, he was stopped by a stretching Gibson, but Robinson jammed the rebound into the net at 4:37 of the 2nd period.
From trailing to leading in 65 seconds.
— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) December 28, 2025
Thanks, Jackson Blake and Eric Robinson. pic.twitter.com/XirOmSusAS
Robby's coming in hot 🔥 pic.twitter.com/9yDrSmmjdy
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) December 28, 2025
Detroit 1, Carolina 2: Robinson (9) from Svechnikov (16) and Aho (20) at 4:37 2nd period.
PENALTIES: Ben Chiarot and Andrei Svechnikov got tagged for roughing at 8:03 of the 2nd period.
Detroit changed up its lines late in the 2nd, swapping out Leonard and Kasper on the 2nd and 4th lines.
GOAL: Off a rare Canes faceoff win, Jalen Chatfield set up Shayne Gostisbehere for a shot and a goal top shelf over Gibson, with Gostisbehere uncovered due to the man-on-man coverage error.
Top shelf beauty from #4 pic.twitter.com/dRCCOP3a4x
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) December 28, 2025
Near flawless execution on Carolina's third goal.
— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) December 28, 2025
1) Jordan Staal wins the draw
2) Will Carrier swoops in to help get it to the point
3) Blueliners cross to cause some traffic in the middle
4) Shayne Gostisbehere picks his spot pic.twitter.com/ytzsGCD2KS
Detroit 1, Carolina 3: Gostisbehere (4) from Chatfield (6) and Carrier (5) at 15:22 2nd period.
After 40 pic.twitter.com/EygHHCaFV7
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 28, 2025
Shots in the 2nd period 17-4 Carolina, shots 32-9 Carolina overall.
— George Malik (@georgemalik) December 28, 2025
No power plays.
Shot attempts 58-21 Carolina;
Hits 19-16 Detroit;
Giveaways 11-10 Detroit;
Takeaways 6-2 Carolina;
Blocks 10-3 Detroit;
Faceoffs 24-20 Detroit (55%). pic.twitter.com/zLpmHsnQso
3RD PERIOD:
GOAL: On the game’s first power play, the Wings’ 2nd unit struck, cycling deep and getting the puck back to the point, with Sandin Pellikka sending the puck to John Leonard at the right wing dot…Leonard saw Copp at the lip of the goal crease and slithered a pass toward Copp, who tapped the puck in at 3:11.
COPP ON THE POWER PLAY pic.twitter.com/NMw9A4Zj67
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 28, 2025
Tic-tac-COPP! #LGRW pic.twitter.com/xKHoU9JbHt
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 28, 2025
Detroit 2, Carolina 3: Copp (4) from Leonard (2) and Axel Sandin Pellikka (11) at 3:11 of the 3rd period, PPG.
PENALTY: At 9:22 of the 3rd, Mason Appleton was called for roughing.
GOAL: Andrei Svechnikov smartly picked off a Dylan Larkin pass as Larkin fell and there was nobody back to help Larkin defensively, so Svechnikov walked into the slot and shot a puck through Gibson’s blocker side and in at 13:09 of the 3rd period.
Detroit 2, Carolina 3: Svechnikov (10) at 13:09 3rd.
PENALTY: Nikolaj Ehlers took out Mason Appleton at 14:11 and sat for tripping.
GOALIE PULL: Carolina called a timeout and pulled John Gibson with 4:07 remaining in regulation.
GOAL: Jordan Martinook took a pass from Andrei Svechnikov and ripped it through the empty net at 18:39 of the 3rd.
Good to have him back in the lineup.
— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) December 28, 2025
Svechnikov and Gostisbehere will get the helpers, giving them both three-point nights. pic.twitter.com/nD3ocdaNqu
Detroit 2, Carolina 5: Martinook (5) from Svechnikov (17) and Gostisbehere (25) at 18:39 of the 3rd, empty net.
Final from Carolina.
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 28, 2025
Back home vs. Toronto tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/uWfv2rNkWt
STATISTICS: Here are the Game Summary and Event Summary:


Final stats from Detroit's 5-2 loss to Carolina:
— George Malik (@georgemalik) December 28, 2025
Shots in the 3rd 11-6 Detroit, shots 38-20 Carolina overall.
Detroit 1-for-2 in 3:37 PP, Canes 0-for-1 in 2:00.
Shot attempts 77-39 Carolina;
Hits 22-21 Detroit;
Giveaways 16-15 Carolina;
Takeaways 8-2 Carolina;
Blocks 17-6… pic.twitter.com/i2jkaSKB0a
Individually…
— George Malik (@georgemalik) December 28, 2025
Detroit finished with an ugly -21. Larkin and Raymond were a stunning -4, Finnie -3, Chiarot, ASP, Seider -2, Copp, Leonard, Edvinsson -1, Appleton +1.
4 shots and 6 attempts for Seider; 2 shots and 3 attempts for Rasmussen; 2 shots and 4 attempts for Raymond; 2… https://t.co/TDpXL8CE98