This will sting for the Red Wings, who made a valiant effort in the third period Friday after a slow start.

But the Wings were chasing most of Friday’s game in Raleigh and ultimately lost 4-2 to the red-hot Carolina Hurricanes.

Michael Rasmussen’s goal at 2:53 of the third period cut the Carolina lead to 3-2 and gave the Wings hope. Rasmussen drove to the net, and after an initial save by goaltender Frederik Andersen, Rasmussen flipped in the rebound for his 10th goal.

The Wings had a power play with four minutes left in regulation but failed to convert for the second time in the game, then with goaltender Petr Mrazek pulled for an extra attacker, Carolina’s Eric Robinson scored an empty-net goal, his 13th, at 18:49.

The Hurricanes scored three second-period goals, erasing a 1-0 lead on Alex DeBrincat’s 31st goal, that turned the game completely around.

“The second period was unacceptable,” coach Todd McLellan told FDSN. “It wasn’t just Carolina, it was self-inflicted. Some line changes, just real dumb play on our behalf that was self-inflicted.”

Mrazek, making his second start for the Wings since being acquired a week ago, stopped 28 shots while under siege most of the game.

BOX SCORE: Hurricanes 4, Red Wings 2

“He played great,” forward Lucas Raymond told FDSN. “He was a big reason we had a chance at the end to tie the game. That’s all you can ask for. He played real good.”

The loss was the Wings’ seventh in the last eight games and kept them outside of the Eastern Conference playoff picture. The Wings remain two points behind Columbus (70-68), who own the second and final wild-card spot. The New York Rangers (70 points) and Montreal (69) also stand ahead of the Wings, with Boston tied with the Wings at 68 points.

The Wings feel they’ve deserved a better fate in some of the recent losses. But the end result is losses and not earning any points in seven of eight games. With only 16 games remaining, the Wings realize results are going to need to change.

Playing well is one thing, but the Wings need wins.

“It’s hard to sit here and say you feel good about it when you’re not getting results this time of year, given the position we’re in,” captain Dylan Larkin told FDSN. “You’d like to play that way and get results.”

Taylor Hall, Jack Roslovic and Jalen Chatfield (Ypsilanti) had Carolina’s second-period goals. Goaltender Frederik Andersen made 25 saves, as Carolina (40-22-4) won its sixth straight game.

DeBrincat gave the Wings a 1-0 lead after Carolina had controlled the first period. Ben Chiarot separated a Carolina player from the puck and found DeBrincat skating free in the high circle. DeBrincat cut through the slot and sniped a shot past Andersen.

But Carolina came roaring in the middle period.

Hall tied the game just 22 seconds with his 11th goal, deflecting Jesperi Kotkaniemi’s shot. Roslovic made it 2-1 at 5:44, his 21st goal. Kotkaniemi made a nice move to the net and found Roslovic for the easy tip.

Chatfield then capped the onslaught with his sixth goal, at 12:18 after a dominating Hurricanes shift.

“Too much of a rollercoaster tonight,” Larkin said. “A lot of what they got in the second (period) we gave them, and in the third we were rolling them and were the better team. If we play a more complete second period, the way we kind of grinded in the third and accepted they’d shoot from everywhere and defended, we just didn’t do that in the second.”

ted.kulfan@detroitnews.com

@tkulfan

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