Martin Necas provided a goal and two assists, and the Carolina Hurricanes won another season opener, defeating the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-1 on Wednesday night in Raleigh, N.C.
Seth Jarvis, Brady Skjei and Andrei Svechnikov also scored for the Hurricanes, who won their fourth straight season opener.
Columbus’ Patrik Laine began the scoring, but the Blue Jackets fizzled in the latter part of the game. In the third period, the Hurricanes posted a 20-8 edge in shots on goal as the lead expanded to 4-1.
Carolina goalie Frederik Andersen made 31 saves.
Daniil Tarasov stopped 39 shots for Columbus, which lost its opener for the third time in the past six seasons.
The Blue Jackets made game-day adjustments with No. 1 goalie Elvis Merzlikins out due to an illness. Tarasov appeared in his fifth NHL game and made his fourth start. He remains winless.
After an uneventful first period, the Blue Jackets got on the board 11 seconds into the second period. A Carolina turnover led to Laine’s goal off an assist from Zach Werenski.
The Hurricanes pulled even about five minutes later when Jarvis found an opening between two Columbus players for a tight-angled, unassisted shot from the right side of the net.
On the go-ahead goal with 1:30 left in the second period, Skjei waited inside the blue line as the Hurricanes moved the puck in transition. He took Necas’ pass and buried the shot.
Skjei, a defenseman, had nine total goals last season, two of them against the Blue Jackets.
Necas then delivered Carolina’s third goal off a rebound scramble at 6:29 of the third period. Svechnikov’s goal came less than three minutes later as the Hurricanes turned in a dominant final period.
Paul Stastny, who was in his first game with the Hurricanes, and Derek Stepan, who was re-signed a day earlier, both registered assists. Stastny, 36, started his 17th NHL season while Stepan, 32, began his 13th campaign.
The Hurricanes won’t play again at home for more than two weeks, with their next game set for Friday against the San Jose Sharks. The Blue Jackets play their home opener on Friday against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
–Field Level Media
