FINAL: Blue Jackets 3, Hurricanes 2 (SO)

The Blue Jackets won a 3-2 decision in a shootout against Carolina on Saturday evening at PNC Arena.
Game in a Paragraph
The teams showcased ability on both sides of the puck, but the first period ended scoreless. Carolina went into the second intermission with a 1-0 lead after a scramble in front of the Blue Jackets net yielded the game's first goal. Goals were traded in the third period before Seth Jones tied the game with 29 seconds remaining. A turbulent overtime pushed the game to a shootout, where Oliver Bjorkstrand collected the winner in the 4th round to give the Blue Jackets a 3-2 victory.

Quote of the Game
Oliver Bjorkstrand on the team's confidence: "We stuck with it. Our mentality is regardless of the score, we have to keep going and play with confidence."
CBJ Standouts
Quick Recap
The beginning stages of the opening frame mirrored that of Thursday. An early infraction put the Blue Jackets down a man, and the penalty kill produced a quality opportunity. Eric Robinson intercepted a pass to create a 2-on-1, but Riley Nash could not beat James Reimer from the slot.
Both teams loosened their defensive leash in the second half of the period, trading rushes up and down the ice. Merzlikins stopped each of the 10 shots he saw in the first period, turning aside Dougie Hamilton and Nino Niederreiter bids from the left circle along the way.
The start of the second period took on the same pace of play as the first. Columbus and Carolina traded one-and-done chances before a Blue Jackets power play swung momentum in the wrong direction.
The Hurricanes generated a couple of scoring chances late in the penalty kill and the ensuing shift before Andrei Svechnikov grabbed the icebreaker. Carolina created a scramble in front of the Columbus net, and Svechnikov used inside position in the crease to bat a falling puck out of midair under the crossbar for a 1-0 lead.
The Blue Jackets pushed back with the next three shots, but Reimer was up to the task on chances from Kevin Stenlund and Max Domi. Aside from the goal, both teams could not create much separation from each other in an evenly played two periods.
An icing off the opening faceoff in the third period allowed the Blue Jackets to get on the board. Columbus maintained possession in the Carolina zone and filtered the puck toward the net. Bjorkstrand patiently lured Reimer out of position and threw the puck off Hamilton in the crease and into the net to tie the score at one.
The Blue Jackets second power play opportunity yielded better results than the first, but the unit could not solve Reimer. Stenlund showed soft hands as he weaved through defenders, but the Carolina netminder stood tall with his glove. Cam Atkinson had an opportunity to give Columbus the lead shortly after the power play expired but fired the puck over a partially open net from the slot.
Carolina used another scramble to grab the lead back with 4:13 remaining in the third period. Warren Foegele was first on a loose puck at the side of the Blue Jackets net and tucked it away before Merzlikins could stretch across the crease.
With under a minute to play in regulation the Blue Jackets knotted the score at 2-2. Patrik Laine collected the puck in the corner and found Seth Jones at the right point, who sent a wrist shot over the shoulder of Reimer and forced overtime.
The Hurricanes thought they ended the game in overtime on two different occasions. First, Merzlikins used an outstretched glove to stone Martin Necas at the doorstep. Then, with Jones in the penalty box, Hamilton's goal was called back after Carolina was deemed to be offsides on its zone entry.
The contest would be decided in a shootout, where Hamilton and Laine traded goals before Bjorkstrand ended the game in sudden death, giving the Blue Jackets the victory.
3 Takeaways
1. Off the mat: The Blue Jackets fought to tie the score at 1-1 and 2-2 (and 3-3 if we're counting the shootout) before grabbing the win. There has been a sense of calmness, even in hectic times, in the way Columbus has played of late.
2. Rounding into form: Perhaps the low point, at least defensively, of the season was a 7-3 loss in Raleigh to these Hurricanes on February 15. The leaders have been vocal about needing to be better in their own zone and play more as a team, and it's starting to pay dividends. The Blue Jackets are at their best when they play to their identity, and it can be argued that no team has played to an established identity better than Columbus over the past few seasons.
3. Top pair leading the way: Over the last four games, Zach Werenski and Jones have found their offensive touch to power the Blue Jackets during their best stretch of the season. The defensive pair has combined for a 5-2-7 line with goals in all four games and two game-winners. The offensive spark has not come at the expense of defense, as the pair is a +6 over that time, with neither player recording a minus rating in a game.
Notable
Jones has a 3-3-6 line in five games against the Hurricanes this season. … Bjorkstrand leads the team in points (11-17-27) and his 11 goals has tied Atkinson for most on the club. … Jack Roslovic has tallied six assists in his last five game. … Max Domi played in his 300th consecutive game, the seventh-longest active streak in the NHL. … Vladislav Gavrikov played in his 100th career game. … Columbus recorded their first two-game series sweep in seven tries this season. … The Blue Jackets have won 7 of the last 9 games against Carolina dating back to 3/15/19. … Head coach John Tortorella won his 668th game, the 13th most in league history. … Dougie Hamilton collected an assist, extending his point streak to 11 games, the longest active streak in the NHL.
Roster Report
Merzlikins went in for Joonas Korpisalo, otherwise the Blue Jackets rolled out the same lineup for the second straight game.
Up Next
The Blue Jackets and Hurricanes continue their four-game stretch with a change of venue, heading to Columbus for a two-game series on March 22 and 25.