The Carolina Hurricanes couldn't find the back of the net on Friday night, getting shut out 3-0 by Linus Ullmark and the Ottawa Senators during the second game of their homestand. They would get a chance to bounce back on Sunday, hosting the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Jackets were victorious in a shootout when the Canes visited in November, getting a late goal to force extra time before earning the second point.
Dustin Tokarski made his Hurricanes debut in the net, earning his first NHL start since February of 2023. Tokarski was signed at the beginning of the month after an excellent stretch in Chicago (AHL). Elvis would be in the building for the Blue Jackets as Elvis Merzlikins started the second half of Columbus' back-to-back.
There wasn't much 5-on-5 hockey at the beginning of the game, with Andrei Svechnikov taking an early penalty, Mathieu Olivier responding with one for Columbus, and Jesperi Kotkaniemi guilty of a double-minor for high-sticking in the first 6:36. Both teams killed their first penalties before the Canes opened the scoring during Kotkaniemi's penalty.
Seth Jarvis made a great play to knock down the puck before moving the other way with Sebastian Aho on a 2-on-1. Aho received the pass from Jarvis, waited for Merzlikins to slide too far, and snapped it home to get the Canes ahead early. After a subpar showing on Friday night, this was exactly how the Canes needed to get it started.
Once the two sides decided to play at even strength, the Staal line took over. In the final minute of the period, their work would be rewarded. Jordan Staal put a great pass to the front of the net for William Carrier, who beat Merzlikins with a backhand to slide the Canes into the intermission with a well-earned two-goal lead.
As well as the Hurricanes were playing, they couldn't find the dagger in the second period, allowing Columbus to work back into the game. Kirill Marchenko's pressure behind the net forced a turnover as he found Dmitri Voronkov in the slot to get Columbus within a goal.
The end of the period took an hour to finish. Just over a minute after Columbus' goal, Jordan Martinook deflected Staal's point blast into the net, but the Blue Jackets challenged for goalie interference. This felt like a coin-flip call, but the goal stood, sending Columbus on the penalty kill. Jack Roslovic thought he'd made it 4-1 until the Blue Jackets challenged again, this time for a hand pass. This challenge would be successful, keeping it a two-goal game after 40 minutes.
The Canes would put the game away early in the third period. Jesperi Kotkaniemi snapped a shot over Merzlikins' glove with Martin Necas driving the net, putting the Canes ahead by three goals. The two teams would trade chances late in the game, but Columbus failed to make it closer. The Hurricanes surrounded Tokarski as the horn sounded to celebrate a 4-1 victory.
For someone who hasn't played an NHL game in almost two years and has been on the bench for two weeks after his call-up, Dustin Tokarski fit in perfectly in his team debut. He was tested early with the six minutes of penalty killing the Canes had to endure before settling in and making quality stops all night. While it might be too early to declare the goalie issues solved, Tokarski did his part to ensure a few more starts.
The penalty kill did a wonderful job early in the game, making sure Columbus, who had scored a power-play goal in three straight, didn't make them pay for their early carelessness. The short-handed goal did wonders for the team's start, allowing them to play from ahead. Their carry-over kill early in the third period was another big moment, keeping the two-goal lead intact before Kotkaniemi put the Blue Jackets to bed.
Offensively, Staal, Martinook, and Carrier carried the load for the Hurricanes. The trio combined for two goals and three assists in the win, with Staal and Martinook recording multi-point games. Especially during the first period, it felt like they were the only line getting any chances consistently. The other lines slowly followed suit, with the fourth line looking great late without being rewarded.
Up Next: The Carolina Hurricanes will conclude their four-game homestand on Tuesday night with the New York Islanders in town. New York used a four-goal second period to beat the Canes on Long Island on December 7th. Then, they'll hit the road for three straight before Christmas, beginning with the Washington Capitals on Friday night.