Preview: March 31 at Columbus

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Carolina Hurricanes and Columbus Blue Jackets go head-to-head twice this week, starting tonight at Nationwide Arena.

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When: Tuesday, March 31

Puck Drop: 7:30 p.m. ET

Watch: ESPN+/Hulu

Listen: 99.9 The Fan, Hurricanes App

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Canes Record: 46-21-6 (98 Points, 1st - Metropolitan Division)

Canes Last Game: 3-1 Loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday, March 29

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Blue Jackets Record: 38-24-12 (88 Points, 4th - Metropolitan Division)

Blue Jackets Last Game: 4-3 Loss (SO) to the Boston Bruins on Sunday, March 29

Last Time Out...

• Carolina put up 100 shot attempts and controlled the lion's share of possession on Sunday, but "couldn't cash in" and came out on the wrong side of a 3-1 score against Montreal.
• Andrei Svechnikov scored the lone goal for the group, extending the power play's run to six straight games with a goal.
• Frederik Andersen suffered the loss in net, allowing three goals on 18 shots.

Season Series vs. CBJ...

• Dec. 9: As a part of the team's 20th Anniversary Championship Celebration, the Canes took a 4-1 win at Lenovo Center.
• Mar. 17: The Canes "never got going" in a 5-1 loss in Columbus.

Power Play Precision...

• Going back to their Mar. 18 win in Pittsburgh, the Canes' man advantage is 8-for-18, scoring at least once in their six games since.
• Now 23.7% for the season, the units have broken into the league's top 10. An impressive about-face after they sat 30th on Dec. 2, many will point to Jordan Staal's inclusion as the turning point.
• Nikolaj Ehlers and Andrei Svechnikov co-lead the way with nine power plays each this season.

In Net...

• Should the Canes continue with their rotation in net, Brandon Bussi would be in line to get the nod tonight. A winner of his last two starts, the 27-year-old turned away 17 out of 19 shots on Saturday against New Jersey.
• Conversely, should the Canes go back to Andersen, he's 6-3 since returning from the Winter Olympics.

On The Other Side...

• One of the hottest teams in the league since the Winter Olympics, Columbus is hanging tough in a tight Eastern Conference playoff picture.
• Picking up at least one point in 24 out of their last 29 games, the group has hit its first rough patch under Rick Bowness recently, dropping three in a row.
• Dating back to the coaching change on Jan. 13, veteran Charlie Coyle has 30 points in 29 games. Gold medal-winning defenseman Zach Werenski is right there with him, producing the same total in three fewer contests.

Injury Updates...

• Goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov (hip surgery) was declared "probably out for the year" by Rod Brind'Amour on Dec. 29.

What Are We Wearing?

• The Canes will wear their WHITE uniforms for the contest. To view the team's full 2025-26 uniform schedule, click here.

What's Next After This Game?

• The Canes will fly home immediately post-game. They are scheduled to practice on Wednesday before hosting these same Blue Jackets at Lenovo Center on Thursday.
• Next Game: Thursday, April 2 vs. Columbus | 7:00 p.m. ET | FDSNSO | Tickets | Parking