Nick Foligno made up for a blunder moments earlier by scoring the game-winning goal with 1:41 remaining as the Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the visiting Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 on Thursday night.
Foligno's unassisted tally allowed the Blue Jackets to win for the fifth time in their last six games.
Emil Bemstrom and Cam Atkinson, who returned from a 12-game absence, also scored for the Blue Jackets.
Even though Columbus goalie Elvis Merzlikins' shutout streak ended at two games, he racked up 32 saves.
Martin Necas and Jordan Staal scored for the Hurricanes, who have lost two games in a row.
Carolina goalie Petr Mrazek stopped 15 shots in the loss.
Thirty-eight seconds after Staal's tying goal at 7:05 of the third period, the Blue Jackets thought they had regained the lead on a Zach Werenski delivery. However, Carolina initiated a challenge, and a video review determined that Foligno was offside, negating a goal.
The Hurricanes lost All-Star defenseman Dougie Hamilton in the second period to a lower-body injury.
The Blue Jackets welcomed Atkinson, a right winger, back to the lineup, and he provided an assist on the game's first goal before delivering a third-period goal. Atkinson missed time due to a sprained ankle.
Atkinson's 10th goal of the season gave Columbus a short-lived 2-1 advantage at 4:51 in the third period.
Bemstrom scored just 67 seconds into the game. It was Bemstrom's second goal in the past three games. The center played for just the sixth time since missing nearly a month with an injury.
Necas' goal came at 8:38 of the second period. That ended a stretch of more than 166 minutes without a goal allowed by Merzlikins.
The Hurricanes won't play another road game until February.
--Field Level Media
Carolina | Columbus | |
Martin Necas 1 | Points | Cam Atkinson 2 |
Martin Necas 1 | Goals | Cam Atkinson 1 |
Jake Gardiner 1 | Assists | Cam Atkinson 1 |
N/A | Power Play Goals | N/A |
N/A | Short Handed Goals | N/A |
Petr Mrazek .833 | Save Percentage | Elvis Merzlikins .941 |
Petr Mrazek 15 | Saves | Elvis Merzlikins 32 |
Team | Shots | Goals | Power Play | Penalty Kill | Penalty Mins | Face Offs Won |
Carolina | 34 | 2 | 0-1 | 2-2 | 4 | 27 |
Columbus | 18 | 3 | 0-2 | 1-1 | 2 | 25 |