Adam Fantilli scored the shootout winner as the Columbus Blue Jackets edged the visiting Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 on Tuesday night.
Fantilli beat Pyotr Kochetkov five-hole in the fourth round of the shootout for Columbus, which improved to 4-1-1 in its past six games.
Kirill Marchenko scored twice, Dmitri Voronkov added a goal and an assist, and Sean Monahan added three helpers for the Blue Jackets. Elvis Merzlinkins made 32 saves for his third win in his past four starts (3-0-1).
Ty Smith, Jack Roslovic and Jesperi Kotkaniemi tallied for Carolina, which fell to 2-3-1 over its past six. Sebastian Aho had a pair of helpers, and Kochetkov stopped 25 shots.
Carolina outshot Columbus 15-10 in the opening period, but it was the Blue Jackets with a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes.
Marchenko opened the scoring, snapping a Monahan feed past Kochetkov at 4:48 of the first frame. Blue Jackets defenseman Denton Mateychuk picked up his first career point with the secondary assist.
Carolina tied it 1-1 on a power play. Smith’s point shot deflected off Columbus defenseman Ivan Provorov and past Merzlikins for his first of the season at 9:59 of the opening period.
Columbus retook the lead at 15:43 as Marchenko beat an out-of-position Kochetkov, whom teammate Brent Burns ran over. Marchenko has six goals and nine assists in his past nine games.
Roslovic tied it 2-2, tapping in a Seth Jarvis pass for his team-leading 17th at 5:47 of the second period.
The Hurricanes took their first lead of the game at 8:18 of the second when Kotkaniemi backhanded a shot glove-side past Merzlikins.
Voronkov tied it 3-3 on a power play as his cross-ice pass went off Jarvis’ skate and in at 4:58 of the third.
Carolina defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere missed his second game with an upper-body injury.
Tuesday was the third of four meetings between the teams, with the Hurricanes falling to 1-0-2 in those contests. Columbus visits Carolina on Jan. 23 to conclude the season series.
–Field Level Media
