2024-25 Regular Season, Game 37 Preview: Hurricanes at Columbus Blue Jackets

The Carolina Hurricanes finished their 2024 home slate on Saturday night by completing a home-and-home with the New Jersey Devils. The Canes used a four-goal third period to defeat the Devils 5-2 after falling behind twice. Paul Cotter opened the scoring early in the second period by stripping Jesperi Kotkaniemi of the puck and beating Dustin Tokarski on a breakaway. With 30 seconds left in the period, Dmitry Orlov uncorked a one-timer from the right dot past Jake Allen to finally get the Canes on the board. The Devils needed 65 seconds to regain the lead in the third period after Jesper Bratt set up Ondrej Palat in front of the net. Sebastian Aho's response only took 51 seconds as his shot leaked through Allen. From there, it was all Carolina. Jackson Blake redirected Kotkaniemi's shot on the power play to take their first lead of the night, followed by Jack Roslovic making it 4-2 just 86 seconds later. Roslovic added the empty-net goal late to complete the 5-2 win. It was a very physical game, with each team finishing with 41 hits.

The Opponent: Columbus Blue Jackets (15-16-6, 36 Points- 5th in the Metropolitan Division)
Last Meeting: Dustin Tokarski made his Hurricanes debut when he took the net against the Blue Jackets on December 15. Sebastian Aho scored the scoring short-handed, finishing a pass from Seth Jarvis to get the Canes off and running. William Carrier doubled the lead in the final minute of the period, scoring his third of the season to gain momentum heading into the second. Instead of extending their lead, the Blue Jackets scored cut the deficit after Dmitri Voronkov was left alone in front of the net. Jordan Martinook got it back before the end of the second to continue the Staal line's big night. Jesperi Kotkaniemi provided the dagger early in the third, helping Tokarski earn the victory with 27 saves in a 4-1 decision against Columbus. 

Since We Last Met: The Blue Jackets continue to linger near the playoff hunt as the Metropolitan Division continues its down season. They sit four points out of the second Wild Card spot entering play, keeping their hopes for a magical run alive during this remarkable season. Kirill Marchenko has overtaken Zach Werenski for the points lead, though they're at 40 and 39, respectively. Marchenko also owns the lead in goals with 14, leapfrogging Sean Monahan for that distinction. While their offense is still rolling, their defense remains at the bottom of the league. They have allowed four or more goals in four of their last six, including a 4-0 loss to the Bruins on Saturday to end their four-game point streak. While still below .500, the Blue Jackets are overperforming this season, which is great to see after the offseason they had.

Stories of the Night
1. Ending 2024 (and December) the Right Way
2024 has been a good year for the Carolina Hurricanes. They're likely to end the year with the best points percentage, though little to show for it in postseason success. December has been very inconsistent for the team. They're 6-6-0 entering their final game of the month without ever finding their groove on either side of the puck. Solid efforts have been undercut by subpar performances. The offense has been hot and cold. The defense hasn't been to their standard. Neither has the goaltending. It has resulted in a rollercoaster ride. A good finish to 2024 could catapult the team into the new year with momentum as a tough January looms. 

2. Stopping Werenski and Marchenko
It's likely a gross oversimplification but if the Canes can find a way to stop Zach Werenski and Kirill Marchenko from getting hot, they should have a great chance to beat the Blue Jackets. Marchenko has been rolling, having his seven-game point streak snapped in Saturday's shutout loss. He has 24 points in 18 games going back before Thanksgiving, including three points in two meetings with the Canes. Werenski had seven assists in the two games before Saturday, which featured his second 4+-point game of the season. He has 29 points in his last 22 games. His seven assists last week earned him 3rd Star honors by the NHL. 

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