RALEIGH — The Hurricanes found their game Sunday against the visiting Blue Jackets. It didn’t hurt that their fifth goalie of the season was also up to the task.
Veteran Dustin Tokarski — who was signed less than two weeks ago after allowing just eight goals in five games while on a professional tryout with Carolina’s AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves — made 27 saves in his first NHL game since Feb. 18, 2023, in the Hurricanes’ 4-1 win at Lenovo Center.
“I’ve just been going day to day for the last 30 days, and I’m going to keep doing that,” Tokarski said. “But as I said, grateful for the opportunity, grateful for the belief. And I’m enjoying it; I can’t complain one bit.”
The 35-year-old Tokarski won a Calder Cup with Carolina’s then-AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, in 2019 and played his 81st NHL game with his sixth franchise in earning the win. He said knowing people from the franchise — goalie coach Paul Schonfelder was in the same position with the Checkers during the 2018-19 season — helped ease his transition.
“Our goalie was great tonight. … It takes a pro,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “He’s been sitting a long time, hadn’t played much at all, and to put him in there probably wasn’t the best for him. But he looked like he could handle it.”
The Hurricanes set a tone early, with captain Jordan Staal nearly scoring on the opening shift, but then three consecutive penalties — two to Carolina, including a double-minor on Jesperi Kotkaniemi — gave Columbus a chance to take control.
The Hurricanes not only killed off all six minutes but took a 1-0 lead.
While killing the Kotkaniemi penalty, Seth Jarvis deflected and stole the puck to start a 2-on-1 with Sebastian Aho. Jarvis dished to Aho, who waited out a sliding Elvis Merzlikins (24 saves) and lifted the puck into the top of the net for his eighth goal of the season.
“When they can turn the puck over, that’s a great opportunity for them to do that,” Brind’Amour said.
The Hurricanes doubled their lead in the final minute of the opening period, again turning defense into offense.
Jordan Martinook stole the puck from behind on the back check and moved it the other way for Staal. Staal circled the Columbus net and made a centering pass to William Carrier, who backhanded the puck in at 19:08 to make it 2-0 Carolina.
“I think the Jordan Staal line was just, every shift, on it,” Brind’Amour said.
The Blue Jackets halved Carolina’s lead at 15:51 of the middle frame when Dmitri Voronkov was left alone in the slot for his eighth goal of the season.
The Hurricanes reestablished their two-goal lead around 17:16 when Martinook redirected Staal’s slap shot from the point. Columbus challenged for goalie interference, claiming Carrier made contact with Merzlikins. The officials ruled it a good goal, putting Carolina up 3-1 and on the power play.
“You’re definitely holding your breath. … So you’re just hoping that one stays, and I was happy it did,” said Martinook, who got his seventh goal of the year and ended a 13-game goal drought.
The Hurricanes seemed to add an insurance goal when Jack Roslovic scored off a feed from Jackson Blake on the man advantage at 18:41 of the second period. The Blue Jackets challenged again and this time won, with the officials determining Tyson Jost had made a hand pass off the initial faceoff during the shift.
Carolina was undeterred and got it to 4-1 anyway when Kotkaniemi picked the corner on Merzlikins at 6:19 of the third period for his fifth goal of the year.
“I love seeing that,” Brind’Amour said. “He’s got a great wrister. … If we can get that play out of him, that’s what we’re looking for.”
But the story of the night was Tokarski, who earned his first win — the 24th of his 16-year pro career — since Jan. 10, 2023.
“It’s pretty wild,” he said, “but it’s been awesome.”
Notes: Gov. Roy Cooper announced at the start of the postgame press conference that he had presented Brind’Amour with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, North Carolina’s highest honor. … Columbus GM Don Waddell traveled with the team to Raleigh, making his first appearance at Lenovo Center since he left the Hurricanes in the offseason. … Jack Drury missed his second straight game following hand surgery.
