For most of Monday evening, the Columbus Blue Jackets were in control against the Carolina Hurricanes, riding a couple early goals and a strong defensive effort.
Then came a stretch in the third period when the Hurricanes willed themselves to a win.
Eric Staal scored twice 1:01 apart in the third period before Jordan Staal added the go-ahead score, to help the Hurricanes erase a 2-0 deficit en route to a 3-2 victory at PNC Arena.
“Sometimes in this building you feel it coming,” Eric Staal said. “It was a big couple goals and a good win.”
Carolina (24-19-9) has won four in a row. With 57 points, the Hurricanes jumped over both Columbus and the Philadelphia Flyers into third place in the Metropolitan Division.
“I think it was great because we keep talking about staying the course and keeping that structure,” Carolina coach Kirk Muller said. “We knew we were losing during the game, but these are teams that we need to learn to beat, teams that are big and strong on the boards and grind you down. The guys stayed with it and found a way.”
Columbus seized the lead early in the first period. Corey Tropp left a drop pass for Fedor Tyutin, whose shot rang of the post, leaving Derek MacKenzie to clean up the rebound at 2:25. For MacKenzie, it was his third straight game with a goal.
Seventeen seconds later, RJ Umberger started and finished a play to push the lead to 2-0. After forcing Hurricanes defenseman Justin Faulk into a turnover, Umberger went to the net and followed Ryan Johansen’s centering pass for his 14th of the season. Nick Foligno also earned an assist.
“At the start of the second period our legs started getting better, and our puck battles were stronger,” Eric Staal said. “We talked in the first intermission about raising our level a little bit — not a ton — just a little bit more out of each guy.”
The teams were held scoreless in the second period, with the Blue Jackets content to limit the quality of Carolina’s shots. The Hurricanes held a decisive 17-8 advantage, but Columbus kept most of them near the perimeter.
Then in the third, Carolina rode a wave of momentum. Eric Staal narrowed the gap to 2-1 at 11:18, taking a pass from Alexander Semin for his 13th goal. Moments later, Jiri Tlusty shoveled a pass from behind the net to Staal, who banged it home in front of Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky.
Jordan Staal then went to work. After Jeff Skinner and Elias Lindholm moved the puck along the boards through the neutral zone, Staal made a nifty drag move in the slot and slipped a backhand shot inside the far post.
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