Nathan Gerbe also scored, and Jay Harrison added two assists for the Hurricanes, who were criticized by coach Kirk Muller after weekend losses to Boston and Edmonton.
Carolina was close to a wild-card spot on Feb. 7, but the team has struggled since then.
They entered the game having lost nine of 12 and are likely going to miss the post-season for the fifth straight season.
Boone Jenner scored for Columbus, which outshot the Hurricanes 19-0 in the third period.
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