Playing a team four straight times is asking a lot. It’s a test of hockey skill but also focus and concentration after seeing the same players on the other side time after time.
The Carolina Hurricanes and Columbus Blue Jackets likely are tired of each other after four games in a row. But the two teams made the fourth of the four interesting and exciting Thursday at Nationwide Arena, going to overtime before the Canes won, 4-3, on Sebastian Aho’s goal.
Martin Necas, the Canes’ best player this night, first had a shot, retrieved the puck and then fed Aho for the winner at 1:26 of overtime as Carolina improved to 22-7-3 and took six points from the four games.
The Blue Jackets (13-13-8) tied the score 3-3 with 15 seconds left in regulation after pulling goalie Joonas Korpisalo for an extra attacker as Oliver Bjorkstrand batted in a loose puck in front of goalie Alex Nedeljkovic.
The Canes took a 3-2 lead on Nino Niederreiter’s goal with 4:18 left in regulation, going to the front of the net and getting position inside defenseman Zach Werenski to knock in the puck. Jaccob Slavin had the primary assist but Dougie Hamilton also had an assist to pushed his point streak to 13 games.
The Canes’ Warren Foegele was not able to hit an empty net and the Blue Jackets tied it.
Nedeljkovic, given a second consecutive start, made some dazzling saves. But so did Korpisalo.
Martin Necas gave the Canes a dazzling goal in the second period, sweeping behind the net for a quick wraparound that beat Korpisalo. Had Necas beaten Korpisalo shorthanded early in the third the Canes would have had a 3-1 lead.
But Korpisalo made the save. Cam Atkinson scored on the power play for a 2-2 tie.
Cedric Paquette scored for the Canes in the second period just after Werenski had given the Blue Jackets a 1-0 lead.
