An hour late and a goal short: Canes beat Wings 2-1 after Mantha’s last-minute goal spoils shutout.

An hour late and a goal short: Canes beat Wings 2-1 after Mantha’s last-minute goal ruins shutout.

If you’ve been under a rock, or off The Internet, our Svechnikov is back in Grand Rapids. And we are looking so nice in our regular jerseys. None of this reverse-retro stuff.

And in case you were wondering, Mick was wearing a very nice rust-colored flannel for pregame.

First Period

[SPOILER ALERT: nothing happened.]

Red Wings look like the two-day break has done them some good, or at least done them no harm. Hanging in there with Carolina pretty evenly the first few minutes. And Bernier is in net to pick up after any oopsies. 9 minutes in and Bernier fulfills the prophecy cleaning up after some poor coverage gives the Canes their first real good chance.

Past the halfway point and Red Wings finally putting some pressure on. Ok, that was perhaps an exaggeration because other than those couple shifts it’s been a lot of turnovers and chasing. Larkin and Fabbri on the same line is still looking like a good call, at least.

There’s really nothing to say about this period. It was boring and not good hockey.

Second Period

Time for a Rrrrrrrred Wings powerplay! Red Wings really taking their time on the delayed penalty, good for them. Skjei to the Bad Boy Box for holding on Rasmussen. We get a “shoot the puck kid!!” out of Mick when Zadina hangs on to the puck too long and loses it. That turnover became a dangerous shorthanded chance but Bernier doing Bernier things. Powerplay killed.

Canes bench is worked up about…something. The ref gives Rod Brind’Amour a stern wag of the finger.

A wacky bounce off the boards off to the side of the net would almost lead to an incredibly stupid goal but Bernier is on his toes and swipes the puck to safety.

Halfway through and Rasmussen goes to the Sports Crimes Cabana for high sticking. Penalty kill time! Canes have luckily been whiffing on some great shot setups. Helm charges in with LGD shorthanded but the Canes are fast enough to chase them down and Helm’s shot doesn’t have much on it. Penalty killed!

Mantha with Larkin and Fabbri start getting setup when Larkin is hooked and Wings are taking their time again on the delayed penalty with nothing to show for it. Jesper Fast speeds to the Den for Doers of Dastardly Deeds. Powerplay let’s gooooo!

Wings keep the puck in the zone for 1:15. They didn’t score but they sure did get some good tries.

But then.

Canes score a shorthanded goal. Larkin is stuck with the 2 on 1 and lays out to block the pass but Hamilton snaps it through Bernier into the net. 1-0 Canes with under 5 to play.

Larkin has been everywhere this period, in a good way. Well, not on the scoresheet. But physically he’s been tearing it up.