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Hurricanes Hold Off Blue Jackets, 5-2
Carolina's power play fuels big divisional win in central Ohio.
Apr. 1, 2026 at 2:21am
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The Carolina Hurricanes reached the 100-point mark with a 5-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on Tuesday night. The Canes staked themselves to a 2-0 lead after the first period with power play goals from Shayne Gostisbehere and Logan Stankoven, but the Blue Jackets rallied to tie it 2-2 in the third period. Nikolaj Ehlers and the Carolina power play proved too much, as Ehlers set up the go-ahead and insurance goals to seal the win.
Why it matters
The win keeps the Hurricanes in the hunt for the top spot in the Metropolitan Division, while the Blue Jackets are still fighting for a playoff berth. This was an important divisional matchup with potential postseason implications.
The details
The Hurricanes jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period with power play goals from Gostisbehere and Stankoven, assisted by Ehlers and Mark Jankowski. The Blue Jackets cut the deficit in half in the second period with a goal from Kirill Marchenko, and tied it 2-2 in the third on a tally from Adam Fantilli. But Ehlers set up the go-ahead goal for Andrei Svechnikov on the power play, and an empty-netter from Jordan Martinook sealed the win for Carolina.
- The game was played on Tuesday, April 1, 2026.
- The Hurricanes and Blue Jackets will meet again on Thursday, April 3, 2026 at the Lenovo Center.
The players
Nikolaj Ehlers
A forward for the Carolina Hurricanes who had two primary assists in the game, fueling the team's power play.
Shayne Gostisbehere
A defenseman for the Carolina Hurricanes who scored a power play goal in the first period.
Logan Stankoven
A forward for the Carolina Hurricanes who scored a power play goal in the first period.
Kirill Marchenko
A forward for the Columbus Blue Jackets who scored a goal in the second period to cut the Hurricanes' lead in half.
Adam Fantilli
A forward for the Columbus Blue Jackets who scored the game-tying goal in the third period.
What they’re saying
“We must continue to capitalize on our power play opportunities if we want to make a deep playoff run.”
— Rod Brind'Amour, Head Coach, Carolina Hurricanes
“We battled back, but couldn't find a way to get the lead. We'll need to regroup and be ready for the rematch on Thursday.”
— Brad Larsen, Head Coach, Columbus Blue Jackets
What’s next
The Hurricanes and Blue Jackets will meet again on Thursday, April 3, 2026 at the Lenovo Center in Carolina.
The takeaway
This was an important divisional win for the Hurricanes as they continue their push for the top spot in the Metropolitan Division. The Blue Jackets' playoff hopes took a hit, but they'll have a chance to bounce back in the rematch later this week.
