Tough start, strong finish: Hurricanes hit milestones in comeback win over Blue Jackets

Chip Alexander, The News & Observer on Jan 23, 2025

Published in Hockey

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RALEIGH, N.C. — Some hockey games can be hard to explain.

Take the Carolina Hurricanes’ 7-4 win Thursday over the Columbus Blue Jackets, for example.

The Canes stumbled through a terrible first period, allowing two goals, mismanaging the puck, making mental mistakes, giving up scoring chances. In short: A miserable 20 minutes for the home team.

Then, the second period began at Lenovo Center. Mayhem ensued.

The Canes, suddenly energized, scored five times, matching their best period of the season. They had 23 shots, their high of the season for a period. Seth Jarvis and Sebastian Aho each had a goal and two assists, and rookie forward Jackson Blake a goal and assist — all in the second period.

Still, there was work to be done and a game to be won. The Blue Jackets had scored twice later in the second period, making it a one-goal game with 20 minutes still to play.

But the Canes finished it off as goalie Frederik Andersen, making his first start at home since the season opener, picked up his 300th career win. Jarvis had a four-point night with two goals and two assists, scoring a late empty-netter.

Center Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who has had the hot hand for the Canes, scored in the third for a 6-4 lead after Martin Necas won a puck battle near the Columbus net. Kotkaniemi, who had two goals at Dallas, earned his fourth in the past three games.

It was the fourth straight win for Carolina (30-16-3), its longest win streak since winning eight in a row early in the season.

Building momentum

Whatever Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour said after the first period — and it may or may not have been some loud words — a message was made.

The Canes buzzed around goalie Danil Tarasov, keeping the puck in the zone and peppering him with shots. Jarvis scored the Canes’ first goal — on the power play — then set up Eric Robinson off the rush. Just like that, Carolina had erased the Blue Jackets’ 2-0 first-period lead built on goals by Kent Johnson and Kirill Marchenko.

The Canes were just getting started. Blake, active all game, scored his 11th of the season, then forced a Columbus turnover and set up Aho for a one-timer and a 4-2 lead.

Jordan Staal then was called for Carolina’s first penalty, but it ended well for the Canes. After the Canes killed off the penalty, Staal jumped out of the box and jumped Columbus defenseman Ivan Provorov from behind, knocking him off the puck and jump-starting a 2-on-1 rush that ended with Jarvis’ pass to Jordan Martinook for Carolina’s fifth consecutive goal of the period.

Stamina, goaltending tested

The arena was rumbling at that point, but the Blue Jackets recovered. James van Riemsdyk and then Dmitri Voronkov each scored on deflections to pull Columbus within a goal before the wild, wide-open period finally ended — seven goals on the board — and everyone could catch their collective breath.

It was a matter of stamina and goaltending at that point. The Canes, after road wins in a back-to-back this week at Chicago and Dallas, were playing their third game in four days. Columbus, a winner Wednesday in Toronto, was completing a back-to-back set.

Andersen was making his second start since returning from his knee injury. The big man, who won at Chicago, faced 13 shots in the opening period but three in the second as the Canes owned the puck.

The Jarvis power-play goal also was a positive sign for the Canes, who have been badly struggling 5-on-4. It was Carolina’s first in five games and just the second in the past 12 games.

It was as much about Aho’s pass from the left circle as Jarvis’ finish. Aho put it on the tape to the winger.

Maybe the happiest of the Canes was defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, a new dad after son Dax was born Thursday. Gostisbehere was in the lineup Thursday night.