The Carolina Hurricanes were able to dominate the Columbus Blue Jackets in route to a potentially season-saving win on Friday.
Scoring Summary
1st Period
CAR PPG (16:09) – Jordan Staal (9), assisted by Jaccob Slavin (4), Kris Versteeg (18)
The Hurricanes had a slow start, but that quickly turned around with a dominating powerplay that was capped off with a goal. Slavin wristed the puck on net from the point, and the big-bodied Jordan Staal was camped out in front for the deflection to give the Canes a 1-0 lead.
2nd Period
CBJ PPG (9:41) – Brandon Dubinsky (7), assisted by Nick Foligno (19), Jack Johnson (7)
In the dying seconds of a 5-on-3 powerplay, the Blue Jackets tied the game. Dubinsky attempted a cross-crease pass, and it deflected off of Liles’ skate and past a sprawling Cam Ward.
CAR Goal (14:35) – Elias Lindholm (5), assisted by Noah Hanifin (8), Kris Versteeg (19)
It didn’t take long for the Hurricanes to take back the lead. Noah Hanifin rifled a shot from the point, and Lindholm was able to deflect the puck in the slot past Anton Forsberg to give the Canes a 2-1 edge. Versteeg tallied his 2nd assist of the night on the goal.
3rd Period
CAR Goal (9:20) – Chris Terry (4), assisted by Jeff Skinner (7), Jaccob Slavin (5)
Carolina put a cushion on their lead thanks to a relentless play from Chris Terry. Skinner hit Terry as he went to the net, and he was able to knock in his own rebound to give the Hurricanes a 3-1 lead.
CAR EN Goal (19:00) – Elias Lindholm (6), assisted by Eric Staal
The Hurricanes finished off the Blue Jackets with a late empty net goal from Elias Lindholm. His 2nd goal of the game made the score 4-1.
Three Stars
1st Star – Cam Ward, G (CAR) – 36 shots faced, 35 saves, .971 save percentage, win
2nd Star – Jordan Staal, C (CAR) – 1 goal, 1 assist, +1, 3 shots, 21:27 TOI
3rd Star – Elias Lindholm, C (CAR) – 2 goals, +2, 3 shots, 1 hit, 19:34 TOI
Recap
A slow start and some penalty problems didn’t take the Carolina Hurricanes out of a pivotal Friday night game in Raleigh. The Canes rallied together and pulled out a big 4-1 win over the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets.
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The Hurricanes had a rough start in the opening 10 minutes of the game. They were sloppy, and the Blue Jackets had sustained offensive zone pressure. Things started to shift in Carolina’s favor near the mid-way point of the opening frame, then a late powerplay gave the Canes a chance to claim the game’s first lead, and they did.
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A series of penalties from Carolina killed their momentum in the first half of the 2nd frame, and the Blue Jackets were able to capitalize on an extended 5-on-3 sequence to make it 1-1. After killing off another 5-on-3 just minutes later, however; the Canes took back the lead and never looked back.
A mid-3rd period goal from Chris Terry, his 4th of the season, gave the Hurricanes a cushion and a 3-1 lead. Lindholm went on to tally an empty netter with just a minute to go, giving the Canes a 4-1 edge. That would be the final score of the hockey game.
What started as a fast paced and, at times, sloppy game turned into a chippy and aggressive one. A high, late hit by Brad Malone on Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno led to a fight between Malone and Brandon Dubinsky. The rough stuff ensued throughout the remainder of the game, which is bound to make tomorrow night’s rematch in Columbus a little more interesting. Don’t expect Brad Malone to be participating in that game though.
The Carolina Hurricanes brought the intensity on Friday against a down and out Columbus Blue Jackets team. Carolina was feisty, energetic, and they were smart. They were dominant on the man advantage in terms of their puck possession and their passing, which was a great change of pace from their recent powerplay struggles.
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Cam Ward put it best after the game, saying that “it felt like a playoff game”. The crowd was into what was happening, and the home team fed off that energy and delivered.
Ward had another elite performance. He stopped 35 of 36 Columbus shots, and the only goal he allowed was one that deflected off of his own man and in. He has allowed 7 goals over his last 10 appearances, turning into one of the league’s hottest goalies in the process.
Carolina Hurricanes
Elias Lindholm broke out as an offensive threat against Columbus, netting a pair of goals and, hopefully, regaining his confidence offensively. This team needs Lindholm to produce, especially with Victor Rask and Phil Di Giuseppe injured up front.
The young defense from Carolina continues to play on an entirely different level. They not only took away quality chances from the Blue Jackets, but they also ran the offense and made great plays in the offensive zone. The Hurricanes scored a pair of tip-in goals that were set up by well-placed shots from both Noah Hanifin and Jaccob Slavin. Their play continues to be incredibly impressive.
Jordan Staal kept his offense rolling after a 2-point outing in Vancouver. He netted another goal along with an assist on Friday, and he was a force in front of goalie Anton Forsberg. He is starting to really use his big body to his advantage, and that’s what puts him a step above a vast majority of his opponents.
Seth Jones made his Columbus Blue Jackets debut on Friday after a blockbuster trade earlier in the week. He was a -2 with a pair of hits in 22:31 of ice time. He played over 3 minutes on both the powerplay and penalty kill.
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The Carolina Hurricanes played one of their best games of the season in many areas on Friday, and they’ll have to do it again on Saturday night when they take on the same Columbus Blue Jackets team on the road.
Saturday’s game will be just as big as Friday’s. It’s a must-win for the Hurricanes as they look to continue clawing their way back into the Eastern Conference playoff hunt.