By AIDAN JENSEN
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Earlier in the NHL season, there was question as to whether the Carolina Hurricanes’ Stanley Cup window had run out.
Carolina was playing average hockey, but nowhere near to the level of a championship team the Caniac faithful had become accustomed to seeing. The Canes dealt with goaltending injuries and inconsistent play between the pipes, which – at one point – resulted in Antti Raanta being sent down to the AHL.
Since the calendar turned to 2024 – specifically February – Carolina looks like one of the best teams in the league again.
The Canes won nine of their three games in February, including a 4-2 road victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets (19-30-10) on Thursday, Feb. 29, to keep pace with the New York Rangers atop the Eastern Conference’s Metropolitan Division.
Carolina (36-18-6) has now won its past two games, but also gained points in its past three.
This victory had to feel a little extra good for new-ish Canes goalie Spencer Martin, who faced the same Columbus team that placed him on waivers in January. Martin stopped 18 of the 19 shots he faced, as the Blue Jackets’ only goals came from Cole Sillinger and Alexander Nylander.
Martin has now won four of five starts since joining Carolina, posting a 4-0-1 record.
The Canes started the scoring party early in the second period, thanks to a first-minute goal from Teuvo Teravainen and one seven minutes later from All-Star Sebastian Aho. Teravainen scored on a wobbly wrist shot through traffic, while Aho’s 23rd of the year bounced off the skate of a Columbus defender.
After Sillinger scored halfway through the second, narrowing the Blue Jackets’ deficit to 2-1, Carolina defenseman Brady Skjei netted his eighth of the season with three-and-a-half minutes left in the second, poking a breakaway shot through the legs of Columbus goalie Daniil Tarasov.
Alex Nylander gave the Ohio crowd something to cheer about nearly halfway through the third period, scoring his first goal as a Blue Jacket on a powerplay shot, from near the blue line. This looked to be the game’s final tally, until Canes center Seth Jarvis buried an empty-netter with 15 seconds left.
Carolina’s Thursday win capped off a 3-game road trip, as they return to Raleigh on Saturday, March 2 to take on the Winnipeg Jets.With February wins over the Colorado Avalanche, New Jersey Devils, Arizona Coyotes, Vegas Golden Knights, Chicago Blackhawks, Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets, the Canes are in a really good spot heading into the home stretch.
