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Game 38 Recap: Kirill Marchenko out-duels Max Pacioretty in PPG extravaganza, Jackets beat Hurricanes in shootout thriller

Posted on by Burkus Circus

In a mildly interesting scheduling quirk, the Jackets have two matinee games this weekend. The first one is also head athletic trainer Mike Vogt’s 1500th NHL game! Let’s see how the it went!

First Period

Carolina came out flying, fueled by Mattieu Olivier dealing out one of the dumbest crosschecks I’ve ever seen, but Korpisalo was on point, making nine saves in the first six minutes. That includes this beaut on the kill. Bemmer also got a half-breakaway early, but didn’t have the space to capitalize.

The game would even out after the Canes’ powerplay, with both teams getting a powerplay chance that they didn’t do much on, as the Jackets played… checks notes …decent defense!? In this economy!? Only three Carolina shots in the last 14 minutes, to keep them at 12 in the period and a 36-shot pace for the game. 36 isn’t great but it’s 31 less than what Carolina had in their last game so I’ll take it!

No other real events of note, other than Liam Foudy loosing a blade, which was admittedly pretty funny.

Second Period

You know, discipline is always a choice. They say it’s good to control yourselves on the ice, but you don’t have to. After a three-penalty first period, the Carolina Hurricanes and Columbus Blue Jackets would combine for eight in the middle frame, going a combined 4-for-6 on the power play.

It started off with Andrei Svechnikov finding his new greatest enemy, Andrew Peeke, with a record-breaking dumb crosscheck right in front of Korpisalo. After several unsuccessful attempts by the top unit, Kirill Marchenko more or less decided to just do it himself on the wraparound.

BLUE JACKETS POWER PLAY GOAL – Kirill Marchenko from Johnson and Bjork – 7:26 2nd Period

Deciding that more violence against his better rival was in order, Svechnikov again crosschecked Peeke, this time in the face! And deciding that more power play goals were in order, Kirill Marchenko fired one home from the slot.

BLUE JACKETS POWER PLAY GOAL – Kirill Marchenko (2) from Johnson and Bemstrom – 9:02 2nd Period

It was at this point the Carolina Hurricanes remembered that they are, in fact, significantly better than the Columbus Blue Jackets. They started off their wave of offense with a nightmare bounce off of Vladislav Gavrikov.

HURRICANES GOAL – Max Pacioretty from Jarvis and Skjei – 11:20 2nd Period

After this, the teams traded penalties, with Sean Kuraly deciding to give a puck away to a fan mid-game and Seth Jarvis invading Joonas Korpisalo’s personal space. With nothing coming from the power plays, Carson Meyer did the one thing that will always be a penalty every time: shove a goalie in the face. Pacioretty and Gudbranson also got nabbed for roughing in the ensuing scrum. After the Jackets failed to clear, Brady Skjei made it a tied game.

HURRICANES POWER PLAY GOAL – Brady Skjei from Stastny – 17:18 2nd Period

Carolina would then make it 3-2 on a bunch of seconds. Second Max Pacioretty goal. Second Hurricanes power play goal. And second nightmare deflection off of Gavrikov.

HURRICANES POWER PLAY GOAL – Max Pacioretty (2) from Svechnikov and Aho – 18:56 2nd Period

This was a significantly worse period in every way. Remember how the Jackets were on pace for just 36 shots? They finished this period with 34.

Third Period

Kirill.
Freaking.
Marchenko.

BLUE JACKETS HAT TRICK GOAL – Kirill Marchenko (3) from Sillinger – 5:23 3rd Period

From there, both teams kinda bunkered down to get to overtime. The Jackets had their best power play of the night, in terms of sustained pressure and zone time, which was followed by an Erik Gudbransson chance just after, but no dice. Sean Kuraly was forced into taking a penalty to stop a breakaway with 1:55 to go, and after killing that 1:55, it meant that the first bit of overtime would be played 4-on-4.

Overtime/Shootout

So remember how I said that the first bit of overtime would be 4-on-4? Well, the Blue jackets and Hurricanes threw it back to 2014 and played a full five-minute period without any whistles to reset it to 3-on-3. In the shootout, who else, but Kirill Marchenko?

Brent Burns would follow for Carolina, before Patrik Laine would snipe one past Raanta to put the Hurricanes on the brink. But, just like in regulation, they battled back thanks to goals from Svechnikov and Teravainen and a miss from Gaudreau. After Nyquist was stopped, Max Pacioretty had a chance to steal the game, but Korpisalo made the stop. Then, Kent Johnson decided to undress Antti Raanta in public. Jackets win.

Talking Points