Carolina Hurricanes at Columbus Blue Jackets
NHL game between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Columbus Blue Jackets on Mar 31, 2026. Final score: Carolina Hurricanes 5, Columbus Blue Jackets 2.
| Status | Final |
|---|---|
| Date | Mar 31, 2026 |
| Venue | Nationwide Arena |
| Carolina Hurricanes score | 5 |
| Columbus Blue Jackets score | 2 |
Shot charts, expected goals (xG), Game Score and advanced box scores for this game are available on Hockey Alchemy.
Three Stars by Game Score
Ranked by Game Score, which rolls goals, assists, shot quality, play-driving and penalties into one number — so the best player is chosen by the box score, not by a vote.
| Player | Pos | G | A | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Nikolaj Ehlers | L | 1 | 2 | 3 | 18:23 | 0.05 | 2.34 |
| 2nd | Kirill Marchenko | R | 1 | 1 | 5 | 18:20 | 0.80 | 1.54 |
| 3rd | Jordan Martinook | L | 1 | 0 | 2 | 15:27 | 0.20 | 1.46 |
Scoring Summary
| Time | Team | Goal | Assists | Strength | Score (Carolina Hurricanes–Columbus Blue Jackets) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st 13:29 | CAR | Shayne Gostisbehere | Nikolaj Ehlers, Andrei Svechnikov | 4v5 | 1–0 |
| 1st 16:12 | CAR | Logan Stankoven | Mark Jankowski | 4v5 | 2–0 |
| 2nd 15:14 | CBJ | Kirill Marchenko | Zach Werenski, Mason Marchment | 5v5 | 2–1 |
| 3rd 02:07 | CBJ | Adam Fantilli | Mason Marchment, Kirill Marchenko | 5v5 | 2–2 |
| 3rd 12:42 | CAR | Nikolaj Ehlers | Jalen Chatfield, Jaccob Slavin | 5v5 | 3–2 |
| 3rd 13:55 | CAR | Andrei Svechnikov | Nikolaj Ehlers, Sebastian Aho | 4v5 | 4–2 |
| 3rd 19:13 | CAR | Jordan Martinook | — | 6v4 | 5–2 |
Team Comparison
| Carolina Hurricanes | Columbus Blue Jackets | |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 5 | 2 |
| Shots on goal | 31 | 25 |
| Expected goals (xG) | 3.44 | 2.92 |
| High-danger shots | 17 | 12 |
| Corsi % | 59.5% | 40.5% |
| Power play | 3/5 | 0/3 |
| Faceoff % | 60.7% | 39.3% |
| Hits | 18 | 23 |
| Blocks | 10 | 15 |
| Giveaways | 16 | 12 |
| Takeaways | 5 | 4 |
Carolina Hurricanes Skaters
| Player | Pos | G | A | P | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nikolaj Ehlers | L | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 18:23 | 0.05 | 2.34 |
| Jordan Martinook | L | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 15:27 | 0.20 | 1.46 |
| Andrei Svechnikov | R | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 16:29 | 0.18 | 1.37 |
| Jalen Chatfield | D | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 20:42 | 0.19 | 1.25 |
| Jaccob Slavin | D | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 20:47 | 0.11 | 0.88 |
| Mark Jankowski | L | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11:27 | 0.41 | 0.85 |
| Jordan Staal | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 16:41 | 0.28 | 0.61 |
| Sebastian Aho | C | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 19:29 | 0.17 | 0.60 |
| Logan Stankoven | C | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 15:54 | 0.11 | 0.56 |
| William Carrier | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9:38 | 0.26 | 0.53 |
| Sean Walker | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 17:52 | 0.12 | 0.52 |
| Shayne Gostisbehere | D | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 17:39 | 0.14 | 0.50 |
| K'Andre Miller | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 18:41 | 0.06 | 0.45 |
| Seth Jarvis | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 19:00 | 0.23 | 0.10 |
| Taylor Hall | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15:48 | 0.14 | 0.09 |
| Eric Robinson | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9:01 | 0.02 | 0.02 |
| Jackson Blake | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 16:25 | 0.27 | -0.15 |
| Alexander Nikishin | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15:56 | 0.03 | -0.55 |
Columbus Blue Jackets Skaters
| Player | Pos | G | A | P | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kirill Marchenko | R | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 18:20 | 0.80 | 1.54 |
| Mason Marchment | L | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 17:22 | 0.26 | 1.34 |
| Adam Fantilli | C | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 18:06 | 0.35 | 1.07 |
| Zach Werenski | D | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 27:29 | 0.15 | 0.98 |
| Boone Jenner | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18:58 | 0.03 | 0.61 |
| Denton Mateychuk | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16:10 | 0.00 | 0.20 |
| Charlie Coyle | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18:48 | 0.00 | 0.12 |
| Dante Fabbro | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 17:55 | 0.04 | 0.02 |
| Conor Garland | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14:16 | 0.00 | -0.01 |
| Ivan Provorov | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 25:21 | 0.03 | -0.04 |
| Cole Sillinger | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 13:30 | 0.08 | -0.07 |
| Sean Monahan | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 20:06 | 0.69 | -0.17 |
| Miles Wood | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7:34 | 0.08 | -0.23 |
| Danton Heinen | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12:38 | 0.10 | -0.24 |
| Isac Lundeström | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10:07 | 0.00 | -0.29 |
| Egor Zamula | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7:10 | 0.00 | -0.39 |
| Kent Johnson | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7:48 | 0.00 | -0.40 |
| Erik Gudbranson | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 21:21 | 0.01 | -0.56 |
Goaltending
| Goalie | Team | SV | SA | SV% | GSAx | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon Bussi | Carolina Hurricanes | 23 | 25 | 92.0% | 0.62 | W |
| Jet Greaves | Columbus Blue Jackets | 28 | 32 | 86.7% | -1.13 | L |
Analysis
The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 5–2 on Mar 31, 2026.
Columbus Blue Jackets generated 2.92 expected goals to Carolina Hurricanes's 3.44 — the run of play matched the result, with Carolina Hurricanes earning the better chances as well as the goals.
Nikolaj Ehlers led all skaters with a Game Score of 2.34 on 1 goal, 2 assists, 3 shots on goal.
Brandon Bussi stopped 23 of 25, worth 0.62 goals saved above expected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Carolina Hurricanes vs Columbus Blue Jackets game?
The Carolina Hurricanes beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 5–2 on Mar 31, 2026.
What was the final score?
The final score was Carolina Hurricanes 5, Columbus Blue Jackets 2.
Who was the best player in this game?
By Game Score — a single-number summary of everything a skater did — Nikolaj Ehlers led all skaters at 2.34, on 1G, 2A and 3 shots on goal.
Which team deserved to win by expected goals?
Columbus Blue Jackets generated 2.92 expected goals and Carolina Hurricanes generated 3.44, so Carolina Hurricanes created the better chances. That matches the result.
What were the shot totals?
Carolina Hurricanes put 31 shots on goal and Columbus Blue Jackets put 25. High-danger chances went 17 to 12.
How did the goaltenders play?
Brandon Bussi stopped 23 of 25 (0.62 goals saved above expected); Jet Greaves stopped 28 of 32 (-1.13 goals saved above expected).