Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour was asked Monday morning if he sensed any panic with his team caught in a three-game winless streak.
Panic? Brind’Amour, seemingly irritated, responded by saying he believed the Canes had played well much of the time in the three games, just not gotten the right bounces or made the key plays.
It all went the Canes’ way Monday against the Columbus Blue Jackets in a convincing 3-0 road victory at Nationwide Arena.
Defenseman Brady Skjei, who had not scored this season, scored. Jesper Fast scored. Martin Necas, playing in his 100th NHL game, scored.
Goalie Alex Nedeljkovic, playing in his home state, did the job in net, notching his second career shutout with 19 saves.
Dougie Hamilton now has a 12-game point streak, the longest in franchise history for defenseman. Mark Howe, who is in the Hockey Hall of Fame, set the point-streak record in 1980, for the Hartford Whalers. Hamilton broke it in the second period on an assist on the Necas goal.
A day after a spirited practice at PNC Arena that ended with the players smiling and laughing, the Canes (21-7-3) enjoyed themselves at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, moving into second place in the Central Division.
The Blue Jackets (13-13-7) won in overtime, then rallied late in regulation to win in a shootout in the first two games of the four-game set in Raleigh.
