Andersen returns, Hurricanes top Blue Jackets to end 4-game skid

COLUMBUS --Frederik Andersen made 21 saves in his return from injury for the Carolina Hurricanes in a 6-2 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on Thursday.

The 33-year-old goalie missed 29 games with a lower-body injury. He hadn't played since Nov. 6, a 3-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
"He was good, made a couple of nice saves, kept us going in the right direction," Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour said of Andersen. "He's steady. That's what you need, that's the way he plays. He looked like he hadn't missed a beat. I give him a lot of credit.
"Listen, we were all a little nervous [about] how it was going to go because he hasn't played forever, [but] good for him to bounce back. We needed it."
Brett Pesce scored twice, Seth Jarvis and Jaccob Slavin each had a goal and assist, and Sebastian Aho and Jesperi Kotkaniemi each had two assists for the Hurricanes (26-9-7) who lost their previous four games following an 11-game winning streak.

Carolina forward Max Pacioretty left in the first period after sustaining a lower-body injury. It is unrelated to his previous Achilles injury that caused him to miss the first 38 games of the season. There was no update after the game.
Sean Kuraly and Johnny Gaudreau scored, and Joonas Korpisalo made 35 saves for the Blue Jackets (12-27-2), who have been outscored 13-5 in three straight losses, including 6-3 to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday.
"We're finding ways to have good pockets, but we can't fall asleep and have lapses," Kuraly said. "It's something we're trying to work on, but it is frustrating."
Pesce gave the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead at 2:34 of the first period with a shot from the half wall for his first goal since Nov. 29.
Burns made it 2-0 at 10:39, scoring on a wraparound during a 4-on-4.
"We take a lot of pride in our defensive abilities, but to join in and contribute on the offensive side is awesome," Slavin said.
Kuraly cut it to 2-1 at 15:00 with a shot from the slot after receiving a pass from Mathieu Olivier who carried the puck around the net.
Jalen Chatfield restored Carolina's two-goal lead at 15:52 of the second period with his first NHL short-handed goal. The defenseman sped down the right side, cut towards the net and lifted the puck on his backhand to make it 3-1.
"The power play is supposed to create momentum," Gaudreau said. "Whether you score or don't score, you want momentum."
Pesce extended the lead to 4-1 at 8:02 of the third period, scoring on a rebound in front for his first multigoal NHL game.

With teams skating 4-on-4, Slavin made it 5-1 at 14:55 with a slap shot from the top of the left face-off circle, before Gaudreau tapped in the puck after receiving a cross-crease pass from Patrik Laine to cut it to 5-2 at 15:27.
Jarvis tapped in the puck at the left post to end an 11-game goal drought at 16:45 for the 6-2 final.
Columbus tied Carolina with 12 shots in the first but was outshot 29-11 in the final two periods.
"For us to play that way for two periods. You just can't win," Blue Jackets coach Brad Larsen said. "We've got to simplify things. The second period was just way too cute again, the turnovers, especially against that team."
The Hurricanes had five goals scored in a game by a defenseman for the second time in franchise history. Slavin (three) and Justin Faulk (two) combined for five goals against the New York Islanders on March 13, 2017.
"They're our bread and butter back there," Brind'Amour said. "The fact we haven't had a ton of goals back there is kind of shocking because they've had a ton of chances. It was coming. It was nice to see."
NOTES: Brind'Amour has 200 wins as a head coach in 330 NHL games, the third-fewest needed in League history behind Dan Bylsma (316) and Bruce Boudreau (326). … Blue Jackets defenseman Nick Blankenburg had one hit and two blocked shot in 16:41 of ice time after missing 27 games with a fractured ankle and high ankle sprain. … Columbus played with 11 forwards and seven defensemen. … Blue Jackets defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov had five hits in 18:33 of ice time after missing one game with a hand injury.