Hurricanes at Blue Jackets
Two Metropolitan Division rivals return to the ice less than 24 hours after participating in overtime contests when the Carolina Hurricanes visit the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday. Carolina forced the extra session in its season opener on Thursday but dropped a 2-1 decision at home to the New York Islanders while Columbus began its campaign with a 3-2 triumph in Detroit.
Jordan Staal earned a point for the Hurricanes by scoring with 1:35 remaining in the third period, but Petr Mrazek allowed a goal 43 seconds into overtime as the team came up short in Rod Brind'Amour's coaching debut. Carolina registered 46 shots in the setback as each of its 18 skaters recorded at least one, with 2018 second overall draft pick Andrei Svechnikov notching three in his NHL debut. Artemi Panarin was the hero in Columbus' victory as he helped set up Cam Atkinson's power-play goal in the first period before scoring 2:11 into overtime. The 26-year-old Russian led the Blue Jackets in tallies (27), assists (55) and points last season, setting career highs in the latter two categories in his first campaign with the club.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NHL Network, FS Carolinas, FS Ohio (Columbus)
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (0-0-1): Svechnikov saw 11 minutes, 48 seconds of ice time on 18 shifts against New York as the 18-year-old was one of six players to appear in their first game with Carolina. Another was defenseman Dougie Hamilton, who recorded an assist after being acquired along with Micheal Ferland from Calgary in June. Veteran Justin Williams, who has missed a total of three games over his last seven seasons, began his tenure as team captain on Thursday and posted a plus-1 rating in nearly 19 minutes of action.
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (1-0-0): Atkinson scored in his fifth consecutive season opener, becoming the 11th player in NHL history to accomplish the feat while coming within one of the record set by Detroit's Mud Bruneteau from 1940-45 and matched by Montreal's Yvan Cournoyer from 1973-78. Anthony Duclair, who was signed to a one-year contract in July after splitting last season between Arizona and Chicago, recorded an assist and a plus-1 rating in his team debut on Thursday. Defenseman Zach Werenski led Columbus in the season opener with seven shots while Brandon Dubinsky notched an assist and went 12-4 on faceoffs.
OVERTIME
1. Blue Jackets G Sergei Bobrovsky is expected to start on Friday after Joonas Korpisalo made 18 saves in the season-opening victory.
2. Hurricanes G Curtis McElhinney, who posted a 26-33-8 record and two shutouts with the Blue Jackets from 2013-17, may make his team debut after being claimed off waivers from Toronto on Tuesday.
3. Columbus D Scott Harrington (upper-body) began the season on injured reserve after being injured in a preseason game on Sept. 28.