Blue Jackets end skid in season finale, beat Hurricanes 6-3

Field Level Media|published: Tue 16th April, 21:52 2024

Apr 16, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Carolina Hurricanes right wing Jackson Blake (53) carries the puck as Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski (8) defends during the first period at Nationwide Arena. credits: Russell LaBounty-USA TODAY Sports

Zach Werenski scored twice and added two assists as the Columbus Blue Jackets doubled up the visiting Carolina Hurricanes 6-3 on Tuesday night.

Luca Del Bel Belluz, James Malatesta, Johnny Gaudreau and Alex Nylander also scored for the Blue Jackets (27-43-12, 66 points), who wrapped up their season by snapping a four-game losing streak. Mathieu Olivier and Erik Gudbranson each added two assists and Jet Greaves made 38 saves.

Teuvo Teravainen scored twice and Jesperi Kotkaniemi added the other goal for Carolina (52-23-7, 111 points), who were resting many regulars with their playoff fate already determined. Brent Burns and Stefan Nosen had two assists apiece in the loss.

Spencer Martin stopped 19 shots for the Hurricanes, who saw their five-game win streak end.

Nylander picked up a rebound off the end boards and beat an out-of-position Martin 47 seconds into the third, giving the Jackets a 5-3 lead.

Werenski doubled the Blue Jackets' lead, beating Martin high glove side with 39 seconds remaining.

Columbus jumped out to an early 2-0 lead.

Del Bel Belluz opened the scoring in his NHL debut, beating Martin with a wrist shot from the top of the faceoff circle at 3:37 for his first career goal. Del Bel Belluz was recalled from AHL affiliate Cleveland on Tuesday.

Werenski doubled Columbus' lead by putting in the rebound off Kirill Marchenko's shot at 5:24 of the first period.

The Hurricanes responded with a pair of their own. Kotkaniemi got Carolina on the board at 7:10, snapping a rolling puck short side past Greaves.

Teravainen tied it 2-2 with 1:44 remaining in the first when he one-timed a pass from Kotkaniemi.

Malatesta restored Columbus' lead, jamming in a loose puck in the crease with 59 seconds remaining in the period.

The two teams exchanged second-period goals. Teravainen tied it 3-3 on a power play, snapping a shot past Greaves from the faceoff dot at 10:16 of the second period.

Gaudreau gave Columbus a 4-3 lead with a wraparound past Martin at 12:18 of the middle frame.

Hurricanes forward Jesper Fast left the game after taking a hit from Gudbranson early in the second period and did not return.

—Field Level Media

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