DETROIT - The final score was respectable, but the performance was far from acceptable.
The Detroit Red Wings lost 3-1 to the Carolina Hurricanes Monday at Little Caesars Arena. They had excellent opportunities to tie it late in the third period, and the outcome wasn't decided until the final minute, following an empty-net goal.
But that doesn't atone for the poor and perplexing effort the first two periods which left coach Jeff Blashill seething.
"That's 100 percent inexcusable to not be ready to work, to not be ready to compete at the start of the game through the second period," Blashill said.