The Carolina Hurricanes entered a regrouping mode after one of their worst single-game outcomes in any season.
They’ll look for the remedy against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday in Raleigh, N.C.
Carolina, which hasn’t lost consecutive games since Oct. 21 and 24, have something going in its favor. The Hurricanes hold a 6-2-0 home record.
The Blue Jackets are tied for last in the Eastern Conference but have won two straight games, including 2-1 on Friday at New Jersey, and seek their first three-game winning streak this season.
Hurricanes goalie Antti Raanta was tagged for eight goals on 14 shots in Friday’s 8-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
“It wasn’t like they were his fault,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “The first four were wide-open bombs and there was a kind of weird bounce on the one. … After the fifth one, I probably should have taken him out. The game was pretty much over at that point.”
It was a peculiar game for the Hurricanes, who allowed only one first-period shot on goal.
It could be goalie Pyotr Kochetkov’s turn in Carolina’s net, though he is 1-4-0 with a 3.09 goals-against average this season. The Hurricanes remain without No. 1 goalie Frederik Andersen, who has an undisclosed medical condition.
The Blue Jackets are coming off a different type of performance, with goalie Elvis Merzlikins making 37 saves.
“I know if I do my job well and perform the way I know how, the win automatically is going to come,” Merzlikins said.
Columbus captain/center Boone Jenner has a three-game goals streak, with four goals during that span.
Cutting down on penalties will be one of the Hurricanes’ priorities after infractions turned the tone quickly Friday. Carolina’s penalty-killing efforts were 1-for-5.
“Perfect first period, we did exactly what we wanted to do and then we took three poor penalties,” Brind’Amour said. “We beat ourselves. There are going to be penalties in the game that just happen, you just have to be mindful of it.”
Specifically, there’s continued concern about winger Andrei Svechnikov’s knack for picking up penalties. He’s in the box too often for the Hurricanes’ liking, while he’s also without a goal in 11 games since joining the lineup following last season’s knee injury.
“It’s tough because he’s trying,” Brind’Amour said. “He’s trying, but he has to do better at it. I don’t know what to tell you. We all know it. He knows it. He’s got to figure it out.”
Svechnikov has been involved with offense with a three-game assists streak and seven total assists. Stefan Noesen has scored in three of the last five games.
This marks the third consecutive Sunday road game for the Blue Jackets, who went 0-1-1 in the first two.
It will also be the first of four regular-season meetings, though the next one isn’t until Feb. 29.
–Field Level Media
