FINAL: Hurricanes 3, Blue Jackets 0

The Blue Jackets dropped a 3-0 final against Carolina on Monday evening at Nationwide Arena.

Quote of the Game

CBJ defenseman Seth Jones: "We just didn't play with enough intensity, especially against a good team like Carolina that had lost three in a row and wanted to get back on track. We couldn't seem to match that pace, really in the second period. They really took it to us there and that's kind of the game."

Quick Recap

Carolina got a pair of power plays early but couldn't get on the board thanks to some strong defending and key saves by Joonas Korpisalo, but the Hurricanes did break through at the 9:13 mark. Moments after Oliver Bjorkstrand hit the post, Carolina got on the board, as Sebastian Aho's drive from the left side was stopped by Korpisalo, but Brady Skjei jumped on the long rebound and fired home to make it 1-0.
Sjkei -- who entered the game with zero goals in 37 games over two seasons with Carolina -- also hit the post on a slap shot later in the period.
The Hurricanes then pulled away to a 3-0 lead with a pair of goals 2:19 apart as part of a strong start to the second period. Jesper Fast was the first to get on the board, tipping a shot by Brett Pesce past Korpisalo at the 6:39 mark. A few minutes later, it was a 3-0 game, as the Canes worked a fantastic passing play on the rush, with Aho and Martin Necas completed a series of give-and-go passes before Necas drove the puck home from the slot at 8:58.
Columbus started to put together more pressure late in the second and into the early part of the third, with goalie Alex Nedeljkovic making a poke-check stop on Riley Nash's breakaway try and denying Patrik Laine before Max Domi hit the post.
But the offense dried up from there and Carolina was able to complete the blanking, with the Hurricanes having a 28-19 edge in shots on goal.

3 Takeaways

1. A frustrating night: There have probably been worse performances for the Blue Jackets this year, but this one might be the most disappointing (to fans) or frustrating (to players) considering Columbus had won two in a row in Carolina and seemed to be getting its game back on track. There were some shades of the early season, when the Jackets got hemmed in at times and couldn't create consistent offense, but taht might just be a credit to Carolina turning the screws, especially in the opening 10 minutes of the second. In a game the Canes needed, they bounced back and got to their aggressive, tight-checking game. "That's a team that lost a few in a row and is not used to losing," CBJ captain Nick Foligno said. "We knew they were going to push, and we didn't have an answer for it."
   2. Offense hard to find: The Blue Jackets had 14 goals in four previous games this year against Carolina, but the offense really had trouble getting going in this one. While Columbus carried play in the last 25 minutes or so and generated more offense, getting out of a 3-0 hole was a pretty big hill to climb against a team that can defend like this one. In all, 19 shots on goal wasn't enough to really trouble Nedeljkovic. "You can ask me 10 different questions about it, what happened," head coach John Tortorella said. "They checked tonight and we couldn't get through it." Add in another scoreless night on the power play -- Columbus was 0-for-3 on the man advantage and has just two PPGs in the last 13 games -- and you get a shutout.
   3. Series continues: What was billed as a crucial four-game series for the Blue Jackets now sort of sits even. Both teams have four points in the three games, with Columbus winning two of three but the Canes grabbing the loser point in each of the first two games. Carolina got its response game tonight; will Columbus turn the tables after this performance on Thursday in the finale: "We have to win," Foligno said, noting the Jackets need a bit of a run to assure a playoff spot. "It's gonna be like a playoff game," Max Domi added.
   Notable
   Carolina had not shut out Columbus in 46 previous meetings, and the Blue Jackets were blanked for just the second time this season. … Columbus gave up the first goal for just the 12th time in 33 games. … The Blue Jackets had won seven of the last nine against Carolina. … Nedeljkovic is just the second goalie born in Ohio to play NHL minutes, joining Pat Jablonski (1990-98). … With an assist on the Necas goal, Carolina's Dougie Hamilton extended his point streak to 12 games, a franchise record for defensemen. ... Carolina was scoreless on two power-play opportunities, both in the first period.
   Roster Report
   Columbus used the same skater lineup as Saturday, scratching forward Mikhail Grigorenko as well as defensemen Gabriel Carlsson and Scott Harrington.
   Up Next
   Columbus and Carolina complete their four-game set with a game Thursday night at 7 p.m. in Nationwide Arena.