December 31, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Carolina Hurricanes center Martin Necas (88) skates around the check to Columbus Blue Jackets center Cole Sillinger (4) during overtime at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory credit: Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images There were times when the Carolina Hurricanes seemed a little out of sorts over the past month, but they may be on the way back.
They will see if they can keep up the recent momentum when they face the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night in Raleigh, NC
The Hurricanes have won three games in a row for the first time since mid-November. They are on a 5-1-1 run and are coming off back-to-back road wins over the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday and the Dallas Stars on Tuesday.
Thursday’s game will mark the end of a four-game road trip for the Blue Jackets, who are 1-1-1 after a 5-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday. That result was sparked by the first career hat trick from Adam Fantilli, playing in his hometown.
Now it will be about Columbus refocusing after being on an emotional high. Despite the brief wobble to start the trip, the Blue Jackets are 7-1-1 in their last nine games.
The Hurricanes were able to send out veteran goaltender Frederik Andersen for his first home game since the season opener, taking his lone loss in five starts this season. He went down with a knee injury in late October and missed nearly three months after surgery, returning to action Monday in a 4-3 overtime victory against the Blackhawks.
Pyotr Kochetkov handled the net duties the next night in Dallas, making 22 saves in a 2-1 victory.
“That’s the situation, we talk about it over and over and over again,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said of the goalies. “If our guy can be better than the other guy on the other end, we’re usually in good shape.”
The Blue Jackets may be in a different situation when it comes to goaltending. Elvis Merzlikins left the midday skate Wednesday with an apparent injury, but then was in the crease that night, stopping 28 of 29 shots while beating the Maple Leafs. Daniil Tarasov is Columbus’ backup.
Columbus will be without defenseman Denton Mateychuk, who has missed the last two games due to illness. Cole Sillinger (upper body injury) was also out Wednesday.
The Blue Jackets say they know the best formula for creating constant pressure.
“If we start skating around and trying to make the hard plays, that’s not our game,” said Columbus winger Kirill Marchenko, who recorded his 33rd assist Wednesday. “We just have to stay inside and shoot more pucks and play more simple.”
Columbus will also try to slow down Martin Necas. The Hurricanes forward has 16 multi-point games this season — tied for 10th in the NHL — after registering two assists on Tuesday.
“An elite player who does a little bit of everything,” Brind’Amour said. “It clearly creates a lot of offense.”
This will be the teams’ fourth meeting of the season, with the home team having won the first two. Columbus earned a 5–4 shootout victory on November 23 and a 4–3 shootout victory on December 31, setting up Carolina’s 4–1 triumph on December 15.
The Blue Jackets are in a similar situation to Carolina at the start of the week – playing a road game followed by another road assignment against a team that has had a day off.
–Field Level Media
