2024-25 Regular Season, Game 49 Preview: Hurricanes vs. Columbus Blue Jackets

The Carolina Hurricanes did the unthinkable on Tuesday night. They won another road game. After beating Chicago on Monday, the Canes flew to Dallas to face the Stars on Tuesday night. It was a defensive struggle for most of the night, with neither goalie allowing a goal for well over 35 minutes. Jesperi Kotkaniemi would break the stalemate with just under three minutes left in the second period, capitalizing on the work of his linemates to snipe a shot over Jake Oettinger's shoulder. The Stars finally beat Pyotr Kochetkov midway through the third. Wyatt Johnston got him off his post enough to open a lane from below the goal line for Thomas Harley to score. It took 24 seconds for the Canes to retaliate. Sean Walker's chance was stopped, but Kotkaniemi was there to legally redirect the rebound off his skate and into the net. From there, the defense finished the job. Kochetkov finished with 22 saves and Martin Necas added two assists to lead the Canes to a 2-1 victory over the Stars. 

The Opponent: Columbus Blue Jackets (22-18-7, 51 Points- 4th in the Metropolitan Division)

Last Meeting: The script for their New Year's Eve meeting followed a similar one to their first clash in Columbus before Thanksgiving. The Blue Jackets broke the ice on a Kirill Marchenko goal, but Ty Smith responded on the power play with his first as a Hurricane. Marchenko scored again late in the period to pin Columbus to a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes. The Canes won the second period, scoring twice to take the lead. Jack Roslovic and Jesperi Kotkaniemi scored 2:31 apart to make it 3-2 through two periods. Early in the third, Dmitri Voronkov got a friendly bounce off Seth Jarvis' skate on the power play to tie the game. Nothing would be solved through the remainder of regulation and overtime, sending the two to a shootout for the second time this season. Andrei Svechnikov had the Canes a save away from winning, but Kent Johnson scored in the bottom of the third to force another round. Seth Jarvis was denied and Adam Fantili scored, helping Columbus earn the second point in a 4-3 victory.

Since We Last Met: The incredible story continues for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Since the calendar changed, Columbus is 7-2-1, including a six-game win streak that was snapped during their ongoing road trip. They're positioned as the top Wild Card team right now, but the race is still far from over. Zach Werenski (52 points) and Kirill Marchenko (18 goals, 51 points) continue to lead the charge offensively for the group, with their supporting cast providing plenty of juice, too. Tonight's game will be their fourth and final stop on a four-game road trip, on which they're 1-2-0. Their win came last night in Toronto. In front of his family, Adam Fantili scored his first career hat trick, and hometown kid Luca Del Bel Belluz added a goal and an assist in a 5-1 victory. Elvis Merzlikins was fantastic after a scare during their morning skate yesterday, meaning Daniil Tarasov will likely get the nod tonight. This Columbus team has gone from just another story to a legitimate threat in the Wild Card race. If we're not careful, this could be a scary team to face if they make the playoffs. 

Stories of the Night

1. Carry the Road Trip Home

The Hurricanes won consecutive road games for the first time since the State Fair trip and have won three in a row for the first time since mid-November. They've played some of their most consistent hockey in months. There's no reason for that to change on Thursday. The Canes are excellent at home, winning five of seven in Raleigh since Christmas (5-1-1), and have points in five straight. I'm not sure whether it'll be Frederik Andersen or Pyotr Kochetkov, but both were excellent in their most recent starts, too. If the Canes can keep stringing wins together, no matter how ugly or pretty they are, this could be an excellent sign. 

2. Kirill Marchenko, Certified Canes Killer

There's no way around it. Kirill Marchenko is another in a long line of opponents who love to terrorize the Hurricanes. In three meetings this season, Marchenko has four goals and an assist, bringing his total to eight goals and ten points in nine games against the Canes. Being the home team, the Canes will have an opportunity to have the Staal line matched up against him if they so choose. Keeping him quiet will be a large task for the Canes tonight. If he and Werenski are made to be non-factors, the Canes will have a much easier night.