Carolina Hurricanes treat fans at PNC Arena to 5-2 win over Red Wings

There were no tailgates outside PNC Arena on Thursday. But there were fans in the building for the Carolina Hurricanes for the first time this season, making for a memorable night.

There was noise. There was energy. There was life, a sense of some normalcy during the pandemic. Masks were mandatory, the excitement level optional — and it was pretty high much of the game.

The Canes weren’t always at their best in their first home game after a five-game road trip, but they took charge in the third period for a 5-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. And the postgame Storm Surge returned.

On a night when the Canes’ Andrei Svechnikov played against his older brother, Evgeny, for the first time, No. 37 for Carolina was clearly inspired. He scored the Canes’ first goal, on a power play, assisted on another and was fully engaged throughout the game, on the move, pushing the play.

Jordan Staal had a goal and two assists, and Martin Necas, Jesper Fast and Nino Niederreiter had a goal and assist each for the Canes (16-6-1), who have won four in a row. That offset a pair of goals by Filip Zadina of the Wings (7-16-3), the second on a power-play.

Necas had the most timely score of the game for the Canes. The winger tied it 2-2 late in the second period, blistering a shot and setting the tone for the Canes’ push early in the third.

Niederreiter had an empty-net goal after the Wings pulled their goalie with more than five minutes left in regulation.

Goalie Alex Nedeljkovic, making his seventh start, picked up his fourth victory.

Teuvo Teravainen, who has been sidelined with a concussion, was back in the lineup and on a line with Sebastian Aho and Svechnikov.

The announced attendance was 2,924 fans. That was enough to enhance the game atmosphere. It also was a start.

Staal’s goal, his eighth, came 45 seconds into the third and gave the Canes their first lead of the game. Staal was in the right place between the circles when a rebound popped out to him, and the Canes captain quickly ripped a shpt past goalie Jonathan Bernier.

Fast’s goal, his third, came at 2:50 after Staal passed to Svechnikov, who then zipped a pass to Fast breaking in for the 4-2 lead.

Second period: Canes tie it late

Martin Necas’ fourth goal of the season, with 1:15 left in the second, pulled the Canes into a 2-2 tie after 40 minutes and set up their early third-period push.

Necas got off a bullet of a top-shelf shot from the top of the slot through traffic. Wings’ goalie Jonathan Bernier was screened by two Wings players and had no chance.

Filip Zadina’s second goal of the game gave the Wings a 2-1 lead in the second after the Canes spent some time in the penalty box.

The Canes first killed off an interference penalty against Jordan Staal. But the Wings broke through after a tripping call against Brett Pesce.

Zadina, who has been an offensive threat from the game’s start, beat Alex Nedeljkovic with a short-side shot at 7:35. Evgeny Svecnhnikov, whose brother Andrei scored on a first-period power play, earned an assist.

Zadina had scored once in 18 games before Thursday. He had six shots through the first two periods.

The Canes had a power play in the period after Evgeny Svechnikov was called for holding, but the Wings killed it off.

First period: Canes’ Svechnikov scores

Andrei Svechnikov has scored. That’s supposed to be part of the script, yes?

Svechnikov’s blast on a power play tied the score 1-1 after the Wings’ Zadina had scored the game’s first goal. That’s the way the first period ended.

Zadina, denied earlier on a breakaway by Nedeljkovic, beat him with a top-shelf shot at 10:54 of the first.

But the Canes quickly responded. After the Wings’ Adam Erne was called for hooking Warren Foegele, Svechnikov scored seven seconds into the power play at 11:15. Dougie Hamilton and Jordan Staal had the assists.

Svechnikov had scored just once in the previous 14 games and that was an empty-netter. But having his older brother, Evgeny, in the building and on the other side obviously inspired him.

Teuvo Teravainen, back in the Canes lineup, was called for high-sticking but the Canes killed off the penalty.

Game setup

The Hurricanes’ lineup will have a different look Thursday night against the Detroit Red Wings. No. 86 will be back in it.

Forward Teuvo Teravainen, who has missed the past seven games with a concussion, was at the morning skate Thursday and on Sebastian Aho’s line with Svechnikov.

Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour said on the media call Thursday morning that he was “hoping” Teravainen would be able to go against the Red Wings but added it would be a game-time decision. Teravainen was at the warmup and appears to be a go.

Teravainen last played Feb. 19 against Chicago, when he took a big hit from the Blackhawks’ Nikita Zadorov, a 6-6, 235-pound defenseman, along the boards,

Alex Nedeljkovic will be the starting goalie, Brind’Amour said. Nedeljkovic had a career-high 44 saves Monday in a win over Florida.

Defenseman Jake Gardiner, who has been out four games with an upper-body injury, participated in the skate but will not play, Brind’Amour said.

Teravainen’s return makes a scratch of rookie forward Steven Lorentz, who scored his first NHL goal and had it be the game-winner Tuesday in the 4-2 victory over Nashville.

Also at the skate Thursday was goalie Petr Mrazek, who appears closer to returning to the lineup. Mrazek has missed 17 games while recovering from thumb surgery.

“It’s kind of up to him to let us know when he feels like he can play,” Brind’Amour said. “He’s practicing pretty well. He has to be confident in his ability.”

Brotherly battles

It will be a big night for the brothers Svechnikov.

And just another night for the Staal brothers.

Andrei Svechnikov of the Hurricanes will finally see his older brother, Evgeny, on an opposing hockey team as the Canes host the Red Wings. That would be a first and both are amped-up about it — and having their parents watching in Russia.

“I talked to them all day yesterday,” Andrei Svechnikov said Thursday morning. “I’m very proud of my parents because of the way they raised me and my brother. They should be excited.”

The Canes’ Jordan Staal has experience in facing off against his brothers — Marc, a defenseman with the Wings, and Buffalo Sabres center Eric Staal, the former Canes captain. There have been many battles through the years.

“He’s kind of gotten used to it, because they’ve been in the league for so long,” Svechnikov said. “But it’s always exciting, especially when you play for the first time. I think it’s a special day for us.”

Evgeny Svechnikov has gotten a chance to play the past three games, scoring twice. The Wings were beaten 4-1 by the Columbus Blue Jackets in their last game, and coach Jeff Bashill on Wednesday would not confirm his lineup for the Canes, leaving Svechnikov’s playing status somewhat in doubt.