The Carolina Hurricanes are playing in a different division this NHL season.
But there was nothing different about their first game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, a team the Canes know all too well.
In an intense game like many of their past matchups in the Metro Division, the Canes and Blue Jackets traded goals and hard knocks before Carolina won 6-5 Sunday at Nationwide Arena.
Jordan Staal had a power-play goal and two assists for the Canes (7-2-0), who trailed 2-1 after the first period and fell behind twice in the second. Vincent Trocheck had a goal and assist, as did Brett Pesce and Dougie Hamilton — the Canes’ first goals from defensemen this season.
Patrik Laine had a pair of goals for the Blue Jackets (5-5-3), making it a 6-5 game with 56 seconds left in regulation. Canes defenseman Jaccob Slavin blocked another Laine shot in the final seconds.
Staal’s goal on the power play in the third period pushed the Canes in front 5-4. Hamilton then made it 6-4 on a shot that Columbus defenseman David Savard tried to swat out of the air but knocked past goalie Joonas Korprisalo.
The Canes trailed 2-1 after the first period, allowing another power-play goal. But Carolina, which got a goal from Brock McGinn in the first, surged in the second, moving ahead 4-3 on goals from Warren Foegele, Pesce and then Trocheck.
Max Domi’s goal early in the third tied it 4-4 on a sharp-angle shot that beat Canes goalie James Reimer to the short side.
In a strange turn, Trocheck’s goal at 18:45 of the second period was challenged by Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella for Trocheck being offside entering the zone. After a review, the goal was ruled good and Columbus was charged with a delay-of-game penalty.
Then, a change. During the second-period intermission, it was ruled Trocheck had been offside. The Canes did not lose the Trocheck goal but did lose the remaining time on the power play to begin the third period.
The Canes and Blue Jackets face off again Monday to complete the back-to-back. Alex Nedeljkovic likely will be the Canes’ goalie, making his first start of the season.
