Pesce scores twice, leads Hurricanes over Blue Jackets 6-2

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- — Brett Pesce had two goals, and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-2 on Thursday night to stop a four-game slide.

Seth Jarvis and Jaccob Slevin each had a goal and an assist for Carolina, which had won 11 in a row before its losing streak. Brent Burns and Jalen Chatfield each scored one of five goals by Hurricanes defensemen.

“Tonight we’re able to have good solid victory and just kind of get the gas on,” Slavin said. “We take a lot of pride in our defensive abilities, but to join in and contribute on the offensive side is awesome.”

Frederik Andersen stopped 21 shots in his first start after missing 29 games with a lower-body injury.

“He was steady,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour said. “That’s the way he plays. We were all a little bit nervous on how he was going to play, because he just hasn’t played in forever. Good for him to bounce back. We needed it.”

Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Kuraly scored for Columbus in its third straight loss. Joonas Korpisalo stopped 35 shots.

Pesce put Carolina ahead to stay when he scored his third goal of the season 2:34 into the first period. He also scored 8:02 into the third, sliding home his own rebound after Korpisalo lost his helmet.

Chatfield gave the Hurricanes a 3-1 lead when he converted a short-handed breakaway at 15:52 of the second. It was his third goal of the season.

Slavin extended the Carolina advantage to 5-1 at 14:55 of the third before Gaudreau scored 32 seconds later. Jarvis made it 6-2 at with 3:15 left.

“We’ve got to simplify things,” Blue Jackets coach Brad Larsen said. “You got to make sure that we’re managing the puck way better."

200 AND COUNTING

Brind’Amour notched his 200th career coaching win, all of them behind the Carolina bench. Korpisalo played in his 200th NHL game.

INJURY REPORT

Carolina’s Max Pacioretty left in the first period with a lower-body injury, unrelated to his previous Achilles injury. ... The Blue Jackets placed forward Carson Meyer on injured reserve after he suffered an oblique strain in Tuesday’s loss at Tampa Bay. He is expected to miss six to eight weeks. Eric Robinson also went on IR with an upper-body injury. Goaltender Elvis Merzlikins is suffering from a “lingering illness” and is day to day. Columbus recalled Trey Fix-Wolansky and goalie Jet Greeves from the minors.

RESCHEDULED

The Blue Jackets' Dec. 27 game against Buffalo that was postponed because of weather issues was rescheduled for April 14 at Nationwide Arena.

UP NEXT

Hurricanes: Host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night.

Blue Jackets: Visit the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night.

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