Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho look to continue their respective strong play on Tuesday as the Carolina Hurricanes visit the streaking Columbus Blue Jackets.
Svechnikov and Aho each collected a goal and an assist in Carolina’s 4-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday. Svechnikov has nine points (two goals, seven assists) in his past six games while Aho has nine points (three goals, six assists) in his past nine contests.
Both players have 24 goals this season, four shy of Seth Jarvis for the team lead. Aho leads the team in both assists (44) and points (68), with Svechnikov sitting second in both categories (34, 58).
Jordan Martinook scored the go-ahead goal midway into the third period on Saturday for the Eastern Conference-leading Hurricanes, who improved to 14-3-2 in their last 19 games.
“I thought everybody really contributed. And that’s how we win, right?” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “It’s not, you know, just special plays here and there. We need every line, really. And that’s what we’ve got to do to get it done.”
Svechnikov notched two assists in the Hurricanes’ 4-1 victory over the Blue Jackets on Dec. 9 in Raleigh, N.C.
Carolina will have a tall task in slowing down Columbus, which enters Tuesday’s tilt on a nine-game point streak (5-0-4). The Blue Jackets remained hot on Saturday by recording a 2-1 victory in a shootout over the Philadelphia Flyers.
Kirill Marchenko provided the fireworks Saturday by scoring his team-leading 25th goal of the season, and 100th career goal, before adding the game-deciding tally in the shootout.
Columbus improved to 15-2-4 in 21 games since Rick Bowness replaced Dean Evason as the team’s head coach on Jan. 12. That surge has allowed the Blue Jackets to move just outside the second-wild card position in the East.
“It’s really important for us and for the standings,” Marchenko said. “It looks like a playoff game. … A lot of games, we’re playing only one goal (games) and always in overtime and shootouts. Happy to win that because last game we lose in overtime (2-1 against the Florida Panthers on Thursday), and now we will change it.”
Jet Greaves turned aside 18 shots in regulation and overtime before denying all three attempts in the shootout.
“He was so calm in the shootout,” Bowness said. “That was pretty good to see. Very impressive.”
Greaves credited the team’s penalty kill for making his job easier. Columbus thwarted all four short-handed situations on Saturday, including a four-minute power play by Philadelphia that bridged from the second and third period.
“I thought the kill did a great job,” Greaves said. “Special teams is so important in these games, and I thought the guys did a good job. There were a lot of shot blocks. I think we were getting it in the neutral zone and up the ice, and that shows a positive effort from the guys. It’s such an important time in the game.”
