2023-24 Regular Season, Game 60: Hurricanes at Columbus Blue Jackets (Pregame)

The Hurricanes needed every good bounce they could get while in Minnesota on Tuesday night. The second stop on their three-game journey saw them face the Wild, who'd come into Raleigh and beaten them a little over a month prior. After a hot start by the Canes, the Wild would swing the momentum after earning a power play. While the Canes killed it, Connor Dewar spun and fired a shot past Pyotr Kochetkov from the slot to give Minnesota the lead. Jordan Staal responded a little over five minutes later on a rebound, beating Filip Gustavsson over his shoulder on the backhand. Jonas Brodin helped put Minnesota back in front in the final minute of the period. He floated a shot from the point past several bodies, and Kochetkov never saw it coming. It was a deflating feeling as the Wild took a 2-1 lead into the break. The Canes didn't find the tying goal until the final minute of the second period. Andrei Svechnikov finished a pass from Seth Jarvis, though it was probably going wide of the net until it hit the inside of Gustavsson's right pad. The final lucky bounce came courtesy of Stefan Noesen's face. Jack Drury's shot was blockered away by Gustavsson, but it deflected off Noesen's face and into the net to give the Canes their first lead of the night. This lead would hold, thanks to some incredible defense down the stretch to help the Canes seal a 3-2 win. Kochetkov stopped 28 shots, and Jordan Staal finished with a multi-point game while holding Minnesota's top line off the board.

The Opponent: Columbus Blue Jackets (19-29-10, 48 Points- 8th in the Metropolitan Division)

Last Meeting- Despite where these two sit in the standings now, the first meeting was incredibly tight. Pyotr Kochetkov and Elvis Merzlikins were perfect for 40 minutes, but Kirill Marchenko managed to break the ice 13 seconds into the third period. Johnny Gaudreau added another goal almost 6:30 later, doubling the Jackets' lead. Jesperi Kotkaniemi finally got the Canes on the board with 9:59 left, allowing the floodgates to open for Carolina. With just over three minutes left, Brady Skjei knotted things up. Andrei Svechnikov, who'd yet to score since returning from his offseason surgery, finally broke through, giving the Canes the lead with 1:55 left. Despite 40 saves from Merzlikins, the Canes overcame the deficit to win 3-2. 

Since We Last Met- It's no secret that the Blue Jackets haven't had a good season. They have the worst points percentage in the Eastern Conference. They have the second-worst goal differential in the conference. They have the third-fewest wins in the league. They've allowed the second-most goals in the league. Their special teams aren't performing well. The stats go on and on. They haven't been dealt the best cards with their health, either. One of their biggest weapons, Patrik Laine, has been out with an injury since mid-December and has since gone into the Player Assistance Program. Rookie Adam Fantili has also missed some time over the last month and is expected to miss more. There is still plenty of talent on this Columbus team. Johnny Gaudreau leads the team with 34 assists and 42 points. They have a trio of skilled Russian wingers who can score. Boone Jenner, their captain and All-Star, has a team-high 18 goals. Zach Werenski is a solid two-way defenseman. While they aren't competitive right now, their future is looking bright. Their biggest issue is in the net. Elvis Merzlikins carries most of the load, but he was in the net for the Blue Jackets last night in New York, so it's very likely we'll see Daniil Tarasov get the start. They lost 4-1 to the Rangers last night after beating them over the weekend to snap their ten-game winning streak. 

Stories/Keys of the Game

1. Ending the Road Trip with Momentum

The road trip didn't exactly start how we hoped it would, but the Hurricanes managed to get a point out of it, losing 3-2 in a shootout. The reality is that they probably should've won that game, so just one point was a little disappointing. Things almost got a little worse in Minnesota. The Canes didn't play their best game, but they got some good bounces and won. So, instead of just one point in two games, they'd earned three, ensuring they'd finish no worse than .500 during this excursion. Now, they have a chance to finish with five of six against a team deep in the cellar. To potentially make it better, the Blue Jackets are playing their backup in the second half of a back-to-back. It's not a guarantee, and this will be just like any other game for everyone. With just one game before an oddly long break in early March, the Canes need to bank these points now. 

2. Could We See Martin Against His Old Team?

It's always fun to see players face their old team for the first time. Since being placed on waivers and claimed by the Hurricanes, Martin has fit in perfectly. He's 3-0-1 in four starts, with wins in Boston and Vegas, helping the Canes maintain their holds on second place in the Metropolitan Division. Obviously, his situations in Columbus and Raleigh have been very different. Things are a little better in Raleigh by comparison, and Martin's numbers reflect that. If not for just the story of it all, it would be awesome to see Martin at least play against the Blue Jackets. 

3. Watch Out for the Snipers on the Wings

While Johnny Gaudreau is going to get all of the attention, my focus will be on the trio of Kirill Marchenko, Dmitri Voronkov, and Yegor Chinakhov. They are second, third, and fourth on the team in goals, respectively, and none of them are older than 23. Voronkov isn't getting quite the same attention as other rookies this season. He's fourth among all rookies in points (30) and third in goals (16) behind Connor Bedard and Marco Rossi. Marchenko scored a hat trick against the Hurricanes last season in Columbus and scored in Raleigh earlier this season. They appear to be important parts of a young core for the Blue Jackets, along with Adam Fantili, Cole Sillinger, and Kent Johnson.