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| CAROLINA HURRICANES |
48-22-7 (103 pts; .669%)
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5:00 P.M. – SUNDAY, APRIL 7 PNC ARENA RALEIGH, NC |
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TELEVISION: Bally Sports Ohio ESPN+ Power Play (Out of Market |
The final road trip of the Columbus Blue Jackets 2023-24 season begins Sunday when they face the Carolina Hurricanes.
It's also the final back-to-back set for the Blue Jackets, who beat the Philadelphia Flyers 6-2 Saturday night at Nationwide Arena. All six goals were scored by defensemen, setting a franchise record.
Oddsmakers do not like the chances for Columbus to repeat Saturday's performance. At +400, Sunday's game gives the Blue Jackets their longest odds of the season for a win. At -500, the game is also Carolina's shortest odds of the season.
Here's what else to know when the Blue Jackets and Hurricanes play Sunday afternoon hockey in Raleigh:
| COLUMBUS | SEASON STATS | CAROLINA |
|---|---|---|
| 2.88 (24th) | GOALS FOR | 3.35 (8th) |
| 3.60 (31st) | GOALS AGAINST | 2.60 (4th) |
| 15.1% (30th) | POWER PLAY | 27.2% (2nd) |
| 76.8% (25th) | PENALTY KILL | 86.2% (1st) |
| 30.1 (20th) | SHOTS FOR | 33.2 (4th) |
| 34.2 (31st) | SHOTS AGAINST | 25.8 (1st) |
| 47.2% (27th) | FACE-OFF | 52.6% (6th) |
| CAROLINA'S LAST THREE GAMES | ||
| SAT, 3/30 | @ Canadiens | W, 3-0 |
| THU, 4/4 | vs. Bruins | L, 4-1 |
| FRI, 4/5 | vs. Capitals | W, 4-2 |
| CAROLINA TEAM LEADERS | ||
| GOALS | Sebastian Aho | 34 |
| ASSISTS | Sebastian Aho | 52 |
| POINTS | Sebastian Aho | 86 |
| ODDS & PROJECTIONS | ||
| ODDS OF CBJ WIN PER MONEYPUCK: | 24.7% | |
| TIPICO SPORTSBOOK ODDS: | CBJ +400 | |
TALKING POINTS: CAR
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With just five games left in the season for the Canes, they're all but locked in to second place in the Metro division. They are five points behind the New York Rangers (who also have five games left), and an incredible 18 points ahead of the New York Islanders, who are clinging to third place in the division.
- Carolina may not be atop the division, but many of their metrics are at or very close to the best in the NHL. They are top ten in both goals for and goals against, lead the league with an 86.2% penalty kill rate, and have the second-best power play at 27.2%. They also allow a league-low 25.8 shots per game.
TALKING POINTS: CBJ
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Saturday's win was a wild one in front of a sold-out home crowd. Damon Severson and Zach Werenski each scored twice, with Eric Gudbranson and Nick Blankenburg also lighting the lamp for the Blue Jackets. It was the 7th time this season Columbus scored 6+ goals, and the four-goal victory was tied for the second-largest of the season.
- Lines are based on Saturday's game and subject to change:
| LW | C | RW | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Johnny Gaudreau | 10 | Dmitri Voronkov | 92 | Alex Nylander |
| 42 | Alexandre Texier | 4 | Cole Sillinger | 86 | Kirill Marchenko |
| 82 | Mikael Pyythia | 17 | Justin Danforth | 24 | Mathieu Olivier |
| 67 | James Malatesta | 16 | Brendan Gaunce | 72 | Carson Meyer |
| LD | RD | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Zach Werenski | 78 | Damon Severson |
| 9 | Ivan Provorov | 44 | Erik Gudbranson |
| 77 | Nick Blankenburg | 55 | David Jiricek |
| Starting Goalie | Back-Up Goalie | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 73 | Jet Graves | — | Malcolm Subban |
