Logan Stankoven scored two goals as the Carolina Hurricanes started fast and cruised past the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets by a 5-1 count on Thursday.
The victory clinched Carolina (48-21-6, 102 points) a playoff spot for the eighth consecutive season. The Hurricanes sit in first place in the Eastern Conference, and are 6-2-0 in their last eight games.
It was Carolina’s second win over the Blue Jackets in three days, following a 5-2 victory in Columbus on Tuesday. The Hurricanes are 16-3-4 in their last 23 games against the Jackets, including a 3-1-0 record this season.
Sebastian Aho and Taylor Hall each had two assists for the Hurricanes. Alexander Nikishin, Jordan Martinook, and Andrei Svechnikov scored the team’s other goals.
Frederik Andersen stopped a paltry nine of 10 shots to earn his 14th win in 32 games this season.
The 10 shots from the Jackets tied their lowest shot total in Columbus franchise history, matching the 10 taken versus the Philadelphia Flyers on April 1, 2003. It also equaled the fewest number of shots ever allowed by the Hurricanes.
The Blue Jackets have been outscored 19-9 during a five-game (0-4-1) winless streak. The slump has dropped Columbus (38-36-12, 88 points) out of a playoff position in the crowded East postseason race.
Denton Mateychuk scored the Jackets’ only goal, and Elvis Merzlikins stopped 16 of 21 shots.
Stankoven opened the scoring by tipping in K’Andre Miller’s point shot 2:27 into the first period. The forward then struck again at the 8:52 mark, depositing a close-range rebound after Merzlikins stopped Hall’s initial shot.
At 12:50 of the first period, the Hurricanes developed a 3-on-2 rush during a Columbus power play, with Nikishin burying a shot from the circle for the 11th goal of his rookie season. It was Carolina’s 11th short-handed goal of the season, tied for most in the NHL.
The clubs exchanged goals within a 13-second span in the second period. Mateychuk put Columbus on the board at the 11:24 mark, but Martinook had the quick response with a point shot that beat a screened Merzlikins.
Svechnikov’s power-play goal 6:44 into the third period gave the Hurricanes eight consecutive games with at least one power-play goal. Carolina is 12-for-25 with the extra attacker during the eight-game streak.
–Field Level Media
