Nationwide Arena, Columbus, OH
Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 PM ET
TV: FanDuel Sports Network Southeast / Bally Sports Ohio (local); ESPN+ nationally; Radio: 99.9 The Fan (Hurricanes), 97.1 The Fan (Blue Jackets)
Recent Team Forms
Hurricanes (strong but cooling: 6-3-1 in last 10, L1): Carolina dropped a tight 2-3 decision in their most recent game but had been dominant prior, averaging 3.6 goals per game with elite defense and special teams (top-5 PP and PK). Goaltending and depth scoring have carried them, though road fatigue is a minor factor.
Blue Jackets (struggling: 4-5-1 in last 10, L3): Columbus has lost three straight, including recent regulation defeats that have tightened their playoff positioning. Offense has dipped to ~2.9 GPG lately, with defensive breakdowns and goaltending inconsistency showing against top teams. Home games have been their saving grace.
Injury Report
Carolina Hurricanes:
Pyotr Kochetkov (G) – OUT (undisclosed; confirmed out for this matchup)
Other core pieces (Guentzel, Aho, Burns, etc.) available and healthy.
Columbus Blue Jackets:
Gavin Smith (D) – OUT (upper body)
Damon Severson (D) – OUT (lower body)
Dmitri Voronkov (LW) – OUT (undisclosed)
Mathieu Olivier (RW) – Day-to-Day (upper body)
Columbus is noticeably thinner on the blue line and among bottom-six forwards, forcing heavier minutes for young call-ups and veterans.
Key Player Matchups
Sebastian Aho / Andrei Svechnikov (Hurricanes top line) vs. Blue Jackets depleted defense (without Severson/Smith): Aho’s two-way dominance and Svechnikov’s speed should exploit gaps in Columbus’ back end.
Kirill Marchenko / Zach Werenski (Blue Jackets scoring threats) vs. Hurricanes shutdown D and penalty kill: Marchenko’s finishing will test Carolina’s structure, especially with extra ice time available due to CBJ injuries.
Frederik Andersen (Hurricanes starter) vs. Columbus goaltending tandem: Andersen’s reliability gives Carolina the edge in a potential low-event game.
Special teams: Hurricanes power play (top-5) vs. Blue Jackets penalty kill (recently leaky); Carolina’s depth units could feast on Columbus’ absences.
Series History
Columbus leads the 2025-26 season series 2-1 after a dominant 5-1 home win over Carolina on March 17. The Blue Jackets have taken the last two meetings at Nationwide Arena. Historically, games between these Metropolitan rivals stay competitive, but recent contests have favored the home team when one side is healthier.
Betting Trends
Hurricanes are 22-11-3 on the road and have covered as favorites against Metro opponents.
Blue Jackets are 20-10-7 at home but 0-3 in their current skid and poor ATS when missing multiple defensemen.
Head-to-head games this season average under 6 goals when injuries mount.
Carolina ranks top-3 league-wide in goals-against; Columbus has gone Under in several recent home games.
Game Odds
Carolina Hurricanes – 135
Columbus Blue Jackets 6.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Monday, March 30, 2026
