RALEIGH — The Hurricanes and Blue Jackets played 40 minutes without a goal, but the third period had enough action for all 60 minutes as Carolina erased a two-goal deficit to win 3-2 Sunday at PNC Arena.
Andrei Svechnikov had the game-winning goal, and both Brady Skjei and Jesperi Kotkaniemi scored for the Hurricanes. Kirill Marchenko and Johnny Gaudreau scored for Columbus.
Three observations
1. I’m not a professional lip reader, but after Svechnikov scored the winning goal with 1:59 left in regulation — his first goal since March 9 — it looked like he yelled, “Boom!”
Boom, indeed. The third period was vintage — well, as vintage as you can get from a 23-year-old — Svechnikov, as he fired the puck at will, finishing the game with a game-high 11 shot attempts and six on goal.
He saved the best for last. After seemingly getting hit in the ear by the puck in the neutral zone, Svechnikov recovered and joined Sebastian Aho entering the zone, converting the pass to complete Carolina’s comeback in the second half of the third period.
Hard work at neutral ice gets rewarded.
An absolute eruption by the Raleigh crowd as it hit twine. pic.twitter.com/sAxrCDWG2o
— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) November 27, 2023
“I knew it was going to come,” Svechnikov said of getting his first goal since injuring his knee last season. “It’s just about the time, and obviously it was the right time and the right moment and a huge win for us.”
Svechnikov also assisted on Skjei’s tying goal 76 seconds earlier, firing a shot on the net that led to a rebound Skjei was able to knock in.
“We’ve all been asked about it and we’ve all been feeling for him because we just love the guy,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said of Svechnikov’s goal drought. “He’s a big part of our group and we need him to be doing that. And that’s exactly what he needs to do for us. Obviously the game’s on the line there and he buried it. He had a few other chances tonight too. Hopefully, maybe this kicks him and gets it going.”
2. The Hurricanes and Blue Jackets played 40 minutes without a goal as Columbus goalie Elvis Merzlikins made 27 of his 40 saves in the first two periods and Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 16.
According to NaturalStatTrick.com, there were a combined six high-danger scoring chances through two periods, four for Carolina (one came on the only power play of the first 40 minutes) and two for Columbus.
In the third period, the Hurricanes had eight high-danger chances to the Blue Jackets’ two, including a 6-0 edge at 5-on-5.
3. Kochetkov was probably as good as he’s been all season, making all the stops he should make and then a couple that will wind up on a highlight reel.
For as composed as Kochetkov has been through the first 38+ minutes, we should have known one of these was coming.
A diving poke on Justin Danforth gets a nice roar out of the PNC Arena crowd. pic.twitter.com/hTIlh6fTGw
— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) November 26, 2023
“He was solid,” Skjei said. “Confident, calm. He made some great plays on a couple of semi-breakaways — diving for that one.”
Number to know
0 — Penalty minutes for the Hurricanes, the first time in the Brind’Amour era the team has not been penalized in a game. The last time was Jan. 9, 2018, in a 5-4 loss at Tampa Bay.
Plus
Teuvo Teravainen, Hurricanes forward — Unable to dent Merzlikins and down 2-0 after two early third period goals by Columbus, the Hurricanes shuffled their lines by flipping Svechnikov and Teravainen. It paid immediate dividends as Teravainen set up Martin Necas for a chance that Merzlikins stopped. The Columbus goalie didn’t stop the second as Tervainen found Kotkaniemi in the slot for a turn-around, top-corner snipe to halve the Blue Jackets’ lead.
“We made the switch and then Turbo, obviously, a great play to KK and Svech scoring the big goal. It worked out,” Brind’Amour said of the line juggling.
Minus
The Hockey Gods — Both of Columbus’ goals came off shots that deflected off Skjei and went in. At the other end of the ice, the Hurricanes had several redirected, deflected and bouncing pucks trickle everywhere around Merzlikins except into the net.
At least until Skjei tied the game when Svechnikov’s shot hit Seth Jarvis and bounced to Skjei, who whacked at the fluttering puck and got just enough to get it past Merzlikins.
Andrei Svechnikov's initial shot gets blocked, but he was trying to get it on net, and good things happen when you put the puck on net.
Excellent job by #76 to jump up and be there for the opportunity. pic.twitter.com/qHlQfbEWlr
— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) November 27, 2023
Bounces happen in hockey, but three of five goals coming as a result of them is a bit much.
They said it
“Yeah, I think I got three tonight — two off me for them and then got one for us.”
— Hurricanes defenseman Brady Skjei after he scored the tying goal after having both of Columbus’ goals redirected in off him.
