There have been times when the Carolina Hurricanes have looked out of sorts over the past month, but they may be hitting their stride again.
They will see if they can keep up their recent momentum when they face the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night in Raleigh, NC.
The Hurricanes have won three games in a row for the first time since mid-November. They are on a 5-1-1 streak and are coming off wins over the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday and the Dallas Stars on Tuesday.
Thursday’s game will mark the end of a four-game road trip for the Blue Jackets, who are 1-1-1 after a 5-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday. That result was inspired by Adam Fantilli’s first hat trick, playing in his hometown.
Now it will be a matter of Columbus refocusing after being on an emotional high. Despite a short shaky start to the trip, the Blue Jackets are 7-1-1 in their last nine games.
The Hurricanes could send veteran goalkeeper Frederik Andersen to make his first home appearance since the start of the season, where he suffered just one loss in five games to start the season. He went down with a knee injury in late October and missed nearly three months after surgery, returning to action Monday in a 4-3 overtime win against the Blackhawks.
Pyotr Kochetkov handled the games in net the next night in Dallas and made 22 saves in a 2-1 win.
“That’s a position, we talk about it all the time,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said of goalies. “If our guy can be better than the other guy on the other side, we’re usually in good shape.”
The Blue Jackets may be in a different situation in terms of scoring. Elvis Merzlikins left Wednesday’s midday skate with an injury, but he was on the bench that night and stopped 28 of 29 shots while beating the Maple Leafs. Daniil Tarasov is Columbus’ backup.
Columbus will be without linebacker Denton Mateychuk, who has missed the last two games due to illness. Cole Sillinger (injured) was also out Wednesday.
The Blue Jackets say they know the best way to create constant pressure.
“If we start sliding and try to make tough plays, it’s not our game,” said Columbus veteran Kirill Marchenko, who recorded his 33rd assist Wednesday. “We have to be inside and shoot a lot of pucks and play simple.”
Columbus will also look to slow down Martin Necas. The Hurricanes forward has 16 multi-point games this season — tied for 10th in the NHL — after registering two assists on Tuesday.
“He’s a great player who does everything,” Brind’Amour said. “Obviously it creates a lot of cases.”
This will be the fourth meeting between these teams this season, the home team having won the first two. Columbus posted a 5-4 win on Nov. 23 and a 4-3 win on Dec. 31, including a 4-1 victory over Carolina on Dec. 15.
The Blue Jackets are in the same situation that Carolina was in earlier in the week — playing a road game followed the next night by another road assignment against a team that has been sitting all day.
–Field Level Media