Fantilli scores in the 4th round of a shootout as Blue Jackets beat Hurricanes 4-3
Columbus Blue Jackets' Kirill Marchenko, left, shoots the puck as Carolina Hurricanes' Jaccob Slavin defends during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio. Credit: AP/Jay LaPrete
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Adam Fantilli scored in the fourth round of a shootout to lift the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 4-3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night.
After Fantilli beat Pyotr Kochetkov, Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins denied Sebastian Aho to win it and push the Blue Jackets' home record to 12-4-3 this season.
Kent Johnson also scored in the shootout, as did Andrei Svechnikov for Carolina. Merzlikins also denied Jackson Blake and Seth Jarvis.
Dmitri Voronkov tied the game at 3 for the Blue Jackets on a power play early in the third period when he bounced a puck in off the body of Jarvis.
Kirill Marchenko scored twice in the first period, and Merzlikins made 32 saves for Columbus. Sean Monahan had three assists.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Ty Smith and Jack Roslovic scored for Carolina. Kochetkov made 25 saves.
Takeaways
Hurricanes: Came into game leading the NHL in shots per game and did a good job controlling the pace through the first two periods. But they couldn't answer after Voronkov tied it for Columbus in the third.
Carolina Hurricanes' Pyotr Kochetkov, left, covers the puck as teammate Brent Burns, right, and Columbus Blue Jackets' Kirill Marchenko fight for position during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio. Credit: AP/Jay LaPrete
Blue Jackets: Struggled to get into the offensive zone for much of the game but did what they had to do to win in the shootout. They have won three of the last four.
Key moment
Johnson went between Kochetkov's pads to answer Svechnikov's goal in the shootout.
Key stat
Marchenko set the club record for most points in the month of December with 19 (seven goals, 12 assists) in 16 games. Artemi Panarin, now with the New York Rangers, had 18 points (five goals, 13 assists) in 2017.
Up next
Both teams return to action Thursday, with the Hurricanes at Florida and the Blue Jackets hosting Detroit.
