Stankoven scores twice as Hurricanes rout Blue Jackets

Carolina clinches playoff berth with convincing home-and-home sweep of Columbus

Apr. 3, 2026 at 3:12am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the dynamic action of a hockey game, with players and the puck represented as fragmented, overlapping shapes and forms in a vibrant color palette.The Hurricanes' dominant victory over the Blue Jackets highlights the team's resilience and status as the top squad in the Eastern Conference.Columbus Today

Logan Stankoven scored two early goals to help the Carolina Hurricanes cruise to a 5-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday. The win clinched a playoff berth for the Hurricanes, who have now reached the postseason for eight consecutive seasons.

Why it matters

The Hurricanes' dominant performance over the Blue Jackets solidifies their status as the top team in the Eastern Conference. Carolina's ability to bounce back from a previous loss to Columbus and clinch a playoff spot shows the team's resilience and consistency throughout the season.

The details

Stankoven opened the scoring just 2:27 into the game, redirecting a shot from K'Andre Miller past Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins. He added another goal less than 10 minutes later, pouncing on a rebound to make it 2-0 Carolina. Alexander Nikishin then scored a shorthanded goal to extend the lead to 3-0 before the midway point of the first period. Columbus got on the board in the second period, but Jordan Martinook quickly restored the three-goal advantage. Andrei Svechnikov added a late goal in the third period to seal the victory.

  • The Hurricanes won 5-2 in Columbus on Tuesday, April 1.
  • Stankoven scored his first goal at 2:27 of the first period on Thursday, April 3.
  • Stankoven scored his second goal at 8:52 of the first period on Thursday, April 3.
  • Nikishin scored the Hurricanes' shorthanded goal at 12:50 of the first period on Thursday, April 3.
  • Mateychuk scored for the Blue Jackets at 11:24 of the second period on Thursday, April 3.

The players

Logan Stankoven

A center for the Carolina Hurricanes who scored two early goals to help his team cruise to victory.

Sebastian Aho

The Hurricanes' center who recorded two assists, giving him 400 for his career.

Elvis Merzlikins

The Blue Jackets' goaltender who made 16 saves in the loss.

Denton Mateychuk

The Blue Jackets' defenseman who scored his team's lone goal in the second period.

Rod Brind'Amour

The head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes, who praised his team's solid start and defensive effort.

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What they’re saying

“We definitely started on time and we got the lead there. That was pretty much the game, right? We never let them come back. It was a good game. And obviously, two big points to be able to clinch, and that's great.”

— Sebastian Aho, Hurricanes center

“(Nikishin) definitely has that offensive instinct and unbelievable shot, so a great play by him not to just chuck it away. He kind of took a second, and if there's a chance to score off the rush, it doesn't matter if you're shorthanded or on the power play or even strength, that's go time. … And obviously good on him to put that in.”

— Sebastian Aho, Hurricanes center

“It's all about what you give up, and I think we got a really solid start.”

— Rod Brind'Amour, Hurricanes head coach

What’s next

The Hurricanes will look to continue their strong play and clinch the top seed in the Eastern Conference as the regular season winds down.

The takeaway

The Hurricanes' dominant performance over the Blue Jackets, including a pair of early goals from Logan Stankoven, showcased the team's depth and resilience as they clinched a playoff berth for the eighth straight season. Carolina's ability to bounce back from a previous loss to Columbus and shut down the opposition demonstrates their status as the top team in the Eastern Conference.