The Carolina Hurricanes will play the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on March 31, with puck drop scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time. The game is available to watch on ESPN+/Hulu and can be heard on 99.9 The Fan and the Hurricanes App.
This matchup is significant as both teams are contending in the Metropolitan Division, with Carolina leading at 98 points and Columbus holding fourth place with 88 points. The Hurricanes recently lost to the Montreal Canadiens, while the Blue Jackets fell in a shootout against the Boston Bruins.
The Hurricanes have seen improvement in their power play performance, scoring at least one power play goal in each of their last six games and now ranking among the league’s top ten with a season rate of 23.7 percent. This turnaround comes after being ranked thirtieth earlier in December, a change many attribute to Jordan Staal joining the unit. Nikolaj Ehlers and Andrei Svechnikov currently co-lead the team in power play goals this season.
If Carolina continues its rotation between goaltenders, Brandon Bussi could start after winning his last two games; otherwise, Frederik Andersen may return to net, having posted a record of six wins and three losses since coming back from injury. On Columbus’s side, veteran Charlie Coyle has recorded thirty points over twenty-nine games since January’s coaching change, while defenseman Zach Werenski has matched that total over fewer contests.
The Lenovo Center serves as home venue for Carolina when they return later this week for another game against Columbus. According to the official website, Lenovo Center accommodates up to 20,000 people and hosts more than 150 events yearly within its facility that spans over 700,000 square feet with multiple seating levels and amenities such as suites and concession stands. The venue contributes more than $200 million annually to the local economy through events and community engagement according to its official website.
The Hurricanes have celebrated milestones such as their Stanley Cup win in 2006 according to their official website. They also recognize players like Eric Staal and Rod Brind’Amour for their contributions by inducting them into their Hall of Fame according to information from their official website.
