Marchenko hat trick lifts Blue Jackets over Hurricanes 4-3
Jan 7, 2023, 2:07 AM | Updated: 5:01 pm
Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kirill Marchenko, left, scores behind Carolina Hurricanes goalie Antti Raanta (32) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Columbus, Ohio, Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Paul Vernon)
(AP Photo/Paul Vernon)
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Kirill Marchenko recorded his first career hat trick and scored in a shootout to lift the Columbus Blue Jackets over the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 on Saturday in a matchup of the Metropolitan Division’s best and worst teams.
Carolina, which sits atop the division, has now lost three straight.
Patrik Laine scored in the shootout, and Kent Johnson added the shootout game-winner and two assists for the Blue Jackets, who won for just the second time in their last 11 games. Joonas Korpisalo stopped 39 shots.
Max Pacioretty had two goals and Brady Skjei scored on the power play for Carolina. Antti Raanta stopped 15 shots in his first loss since Nov. 17.
“We had a pretty solid game in some areas, especially if it wasn’t great,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “Even though we got two power-play goals, we got fortunate really on those. That’s an area that wasn’t great tonight. That’s probably the difference in the game.”
After a scoreless first, Marchenko put Columbus up 1-0 with the second power-play goal of his career at 7:26 of the second period, and he made it 2-0 just 1:36 later.
“He’s so coachable,” Blue Jackets coach Brad Larsen said of Marchenko. “He wants to learn and it’s not just the offensive side.
“He’s always working. He’s a really neat personality to have around. You love to see him, and I like that because the smile just gets bigger. It’s great.”
Carolina then roared back.
Pacioretty scored his first Hurricane goal, with a lucky bounce off a Blue Jacket leg that pinballed past Korpisalo at 11:20, before Skjei made it 2-2 with a power-play goal at 17:18. Pacioretty scored again at 18:56 on the power play.
Marchenko pulled Columbus back even at 5:23 of the third with his third goal of the night.
“I just shoot it,” he said. “I know the net’s there and just shoot. It’s working. I don’t know how.”
MARCHENKO MAGIC
Marchenko, who made his NHL debut Dec. 6, became the first rookie this season to score a hat trick, and also the first to record two power-play goals in one game. He is the sixth Blue Jackets rookie to do so, joining Nikita Filatov, Matt Calvert, Cam Atkinson and Pierre-Luc Dubois. The most recent Blue Jacket was Cole Sillinger in 2021-2022, who assisted on Marchenko’s third goal. The native of Barnaul, Russia, now has eight goals and six in his last seven games.
INJURY UPDATE
Carolina’s Stefan Noesen was missing from the lineup after suffering a lower-body injury Tuesday in New York. Columbus’ Eric Robinson remained out with an upper body injury.
ON A ROLL
Skjei scored his eighth goal and leads all Hurricanes defensemen in that category this season. Paul Stastny has recorded a point in three straight games.
4-0N-4
A third-period penalty that carried 5 seconds into the overtime by Columbus’ Sean Kuraly meant both teams skated 4-on-4 for 4:55 of the 5-minute extra period. The NHL rule states that if one team starts OT with a man advantage, each team gets four skaters after the penalty expires until a game stoppage.
NO BRAINER
Larsen on having Marchenko go first in the shootout: “He’s having that night, that’s a no brainer, him out there.”
UP NEXT
Carolina: Hosts New Jersey on Tuesday night.
Columbus: Visits Washington on Sunday night.
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