Blue Jackets Seek to End Road Woes Against Surging Hurricanes

Columbus looks to snap 0-7-0 skid in Raleigh as Carolina's special teams dominate recent matchups

Apr. 2, 2026 at 3:49am

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The Columbus Blue Jackets will try to end their road struggles against the Carolina Hurricanes when the Metropolitan Division rivals meet on Thursday in Raleigh. The Hurricanes have won the last three games against the Blue Jackets, including a 5-2 victory on Tuesday in which Carolina's power play went 3-for-5 while Columbus failed to convert on three power-play opportunities.

Why it matters

The Blue Jackets are clinging to the second and final Eastern Conference wild-card spot, but their recent 0-3-1 skid has them just four points ahead of several teams chasing that final playoff berth. Meanwhile, the Hurricanes are cruising atop the Eastern Conference and looking to solidify their position heading into the postseason.

The details

In Tuesday's game, Nikolaj Ehlers' goal late in the third period sparked a three-goal outburst for the Hurricanes, who have been dominant on special teams of late. Carolina has killed off 16 of its last 17 penalties and scored at least one power-play goal in seven straight games. The Blue Jackets, on the other hand, have struggled on the penalty kill, stopping just 5 of 11 penalties over their last three games.

  • The teams will meet again on Thursday, April 4, 2026 in Raleigh.
  • Tuesday's game in Columbus was the first of three meetings between the teams this season.
  • The Blue Jackets are 0-7-0 in their last seven games in Raleigh.

The players

Nikolaj Ehlers

Carolina Hurricanes forward who scored the game-winning goal in Tuesday's 5-2 win over the Blue Jackets.

Zach Werenski

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman who acknowledged the team's struggles on the penalty kill as a key factor in Tuesday's loss.

Rod Brind'Amour

Head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes, who noted that his team doesn't get any easy games as they try to maintain their position atop the Eastern Conference.

Jet Greaves

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender who made 28 saves on 32 shots in Tuesday's loss and is expected to start again on Thursday.

Frederik Andersen

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender who is likely to start on Thursday after Brandon Bussi faced the Blue Jackets earlier in the week.

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What they’re saying

“Our kill has to get it done. We can't give up three power-play goals in a game, especially this time of year. That's the deciding factor, since I thought 5-on-5 it was pretty even.”

— Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman

“We don't ever get an easy game. These teams we play a lot where just everybody's scratching and clawing to preserve their spot or gain their spot. So it certainly forces us to be ready every night.”

— Rod Brind'Amour, Head coach, Carolina Hurricanes

What’s next

The Blue Jackets will look to bounce back and snap their 0-7-0 skid in Raleigh when they face the Hurricanes again on Thursday, April 4, 2026.

The takeaway

This game highlights the contrasting fortunes of the two teams, with the surging Hurricanes relying on their dominant special teams to pull away from the struggling Blue Jackets, who must shore up their penalty kill and power play to keep their playoff hopes alive.