2023-24 Regular Season, Game 82: Hurricanes at Columbus Blue Jackets (Postgame)

The long grind of the 82-game season comes to an end tonight for both the Carolina Hurricanes and the Columbus Blue Jackets. With very little to play for, the Canes sat many of their regulars to keep them fresh for the new season that will begin this weekend. This meant the NHL debuts of Bradly Nadeau and Jackson Blake as part of a giant scramble for the 18 skaters. Columbus wanted to send their fans into the offseason happy, trying to earn two more points before beginning their summer early.

Scoring Summary

1st Period

CBJ (3:37)- Luca Del Bel Belluz (1) (assisted by Mikael Pyyhtia (2) & Zach Werenski (45))

CBJ (5:24)- Zach Werenski (10) (assisted by Kirill Marchenko (19) & Alexandre Texier (19))

CAR (7:10)- Jesperi Kotkaniemi (12) (assisted by Max Comtois (1) & Stefan Noesen (22))

CAR (18;16)- Teuvo Teravainen (24) (assisted by Jesperi Kotkaniemi (15) & Brent Burns (32))

CBJ (19:01)- James Malatesta (2) (assisted by Mathieu Oliver (6) & Sean Kuraly (9)) 

2nd Period

CAR (10:18)- Teuvo Teravainen (25) PP (assisted by Brent Burns (33) & Stefan Noesen (23))

CBJ (12:18)- Johnny Gaudreau (12) (assisted by Zach Werenski (46) & Justin Danforth (16))

3rd Period

CBJ (0:47)- Alexander Nylander (11) (assisted by Erik Gudbranson (19) & Ivan Provorov (27))

CBJ (19:21)- Zach Werenski (11) (assisted by Mathieu Olivier (7) & Erik Gudbranson (20))

My Thoughts

Game 82 never fails to provide the excitement. Last year, it was the Hurricanes winning the division despite the Panthers fighting to stay close as they clinched a playoff spot in their finale. Tonight, we were treated to nine goals in a game that didn't feature half of the Hurricanes' lineup. It wasn't a pretty game, and I don't think the Canes will want to study the film of this one, but it was still a feel-good game for many involved. We were treated to a pair of NHL debuts of future stars for the Canes and one of the most surprising team debuts I can recall for a late-season call-up. Rod Brind'Amour tried not to take any chances with the group on the ice, though Jesper Fast's injury early in the second period kind of threw that one into the trash. The final score will read 6-3 in Columbus' favor, but that is irrelevant. The team on the ice didn't look great, though they appear to be in great shape heading into the weekend.

It was clear there was some rust for Spencer Martin after over a month on the shelf. Martin allowed goals on the first two shots he saw, and despite a solid effort throughout the remainder of the night, it was easily his toughest game as a Hurricane. He didn't get a ton of help from the guys in front of him at times, either. It also didn't help that Jet Greaves played a fantastic game on the other end of the ice. The Columbus netminder was a brick wall in the third period. The Canes finished the game with five power plays that generated 16 shots, but only one managed to get into the net. The Canes had their chances. Greaves didn't allow any of them to come to fruition. It was still nice to see the special teams playing well in this circumstance. They will likely end the season with the league's best power play and the second-best power play.

As for the standouts, the line of Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Stefan Noesen, and Max Comtois was the team's strongest, in my opinion. After a solid season in Chicago, Comtois looked very good in his Hurricanes debut. He set up Kotkaniemi for the opening goal for the Canes, and he had a few more chances throughout the night on both the giving and receiving end. This was exactly the type of game Kotkaniemi needed. With most of the regulars sitting tonight, his line was going to need to be a big part of the effort. He had a goal and an assist in the first period, finishing the season on a high note after being a healthy scratch down the stretch. It was also cool to see Noesen set a new career-high in points, emerging as an incredibly important part of the last two seasons as his career has reached a new height. 

There was a lot of anticipation to see how the new guys would fare in their debuts. While Scott Morrow finished as a -4, Bradly Nadeau as a -3, and Jackson Blake as a -2, the trio showed incredible promise. The offensive upside for all three is out of this world. Morrow showcased his silky mitts and smooth skating. Nadeau showed off his booming shot, especially on the power play as he played over 19 minutes. Blake had a pair of shots, including a chance in the slot on the power play. There is still plenty for them to work on before becoming regulars in the NHL, but this is just the first step of what could become three long careers as Hurricanes. 

My Three Stars of the Game

3rd Star- Max Comtois- 1 assist

Admittedly, I didn't know much about Comtois' game coming into tonight's contest, but I was pleasantly surprised. He had an early assist on Kotkaniemi's goal, drew a penalty that led to a power-play tally, and hit the post at one point on a great chance as he crashed the net. With Fast's status likely uncertain for Game 1, it might be worth giving him a look, much like MacEachern last season in the first round.

2nd Star- Teuvo Teravainen- 2 goals

Even with most of the big guns out of the lineup tonight, it was going to be the rest of the group that would likely carry the load offensively. That duty fell on Teravainen, who scored two of the Canes' three goals. The goal on the power play was particularly slick, dragging and snapping a shot off the iron to draw even in the second period. He hit the post in the third period, coming incredibly close to his second hat trick of the season.

1st Star- Jesperi Kotkaniemi- 1 goal, 1 assist

Of all of the exciting developments tonight, Kotkaniemi's performance was arguably the most exciting. He was one of four players with a four-point night, but he carried the team back into the game in the first period with his goal and assist. He was relatively quiet for the rest of the night, though his start was encouraging, given his recent status. I'm not sure how he fits into the plans for Game 1. I wouldn't be surprised if this was enough to get him into the lineup.

Up Next- With the regular season in the rear-view mirror, the fun truly begins now. It hasn't been announced when the first round will begin, but the Hurricanes know it'll be a rematch with the New York Islanders when things begin. The two have met twice in the postseason before, including last season's opening round when the Canes beat the Islanders in six games.