RALEIGH, N.C. -- Nothing like a nice, tidy performance to take into the playoffs for the Detroit Red Wings.

The Red Wings head into the postseason after a 2-0 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes in the regular-season finale Saturday night at PNC Arena.

"We knew it was going to be a hard game for us," Red Wings goalie Petr Mrazek said. "For me, just go and try to stop as many pucks as I can."

Center Landon Ferraro scored his first NHL goal 48 seconds into the game and Mrazek made 35 saves as Detroit claimed third place in the Atlantic Division.

Center Joakim Andersson added an empty-net goal with 2:20 to play.

The Red Wings open the postseason against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

"All in all, a good night for our team," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. "We're going in the right direction. Now we have to get ourselves prepared for the playoffs."

The Red Wings (43-25-14), playing in their first game since clinching a playoff berth for the 24th season in a row, sat out several regulars with the postseason to begin in a few days.

The Detroit scratches included center Pavel Datsyuk, left winger Henrik Zetterberg, and defensemen Brendan Smith and Niklas Kronwall. Goalie Jimmy Howard served as the backup after playing in three of the previous four games.

The Red Wings finished with 100 team points.

"It's always nice to get 100 points," Babcock said. "It's good to finish on a winning note. ... It's hard to make the playoffs. All you have to do is look around and see the quality teams that don’t make the playoffs."

Both of Detroit's victories in the final week of the season came against Carolina (30-41-11). The Red Wings went 3-0-0 in the series this season

Three of Mrazek's 16 wins this season were shutouts. He also won in Raleigh on Dec. 7.

"We did a great job out there," he said. "I saw almost every puck."

This time, he was forced to fend off a Carolina power play in the waning minutes.

Ferrano's goal came on a wraparound in his third game this season and seventh game of his career. Center Luke Glendening assisted on the goal.

"I really wanted to get it in or it would be a really long offseason waiting to get it," Ferraro said. "It was good to get it early."

The Hurricanes, who have failed to qualify for the playoffs for the sixth season in a row, were shut out for the eighth time.

"Didn't score," Carolina coach Bill Peters said. "No chance to win if you don't score. That's the part we’ve got to get fixed."

Detroit’s defense was sturdy in a game that lacked quality scoring chances for stretches.

"They played hard and they defended well," Peters said of the Red Wings. "There were some chances. I don't think there was a ton either way, but we had enough to get on the board."

The Hurricanes were in position to make it a more memorable finale.

"We didn't make it hard enough for their goalie," center Elias Lindholm said. "There's not a lot of room out there."

Carolina's offensive struggles have been glaring at times.

"It was a good effort," Hurricanes defenseman Ron Hainsey said. "We held them. ... We have to get one."

Goalie Came Ward made 27 saves for Carolina.

Carolina, which finished last in the Metropolitan Division, won only two of its final eight games (2-5-1) -- both against Philadelphia.

With 71 team points, the Hurricanes ended up with 12 points fewer than last season.

NOTES: Because D Marek Zidlicky joined the Red Wings in an early March trade with New Jersey, he ended up playing in 84 regular-season games with the way the schedule broke. Not bad for what's listed as an 82-game regular season. ... It was the first home game for Hurricanes D Keegan Lowe, who drew some rave reviews after his outing Thursday night at Philadelphia in his NHL debut. ... A