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closeRick Nash's third-period goal proved to be the game-winner, as the Columbus Blue Jackets held on for a 3-2 win over the Hurricanes at Nationwide Arena to extend the woes for Carolina.
Nikita Filatov and Jared Boll also scored for the Blue Jackets, who have earned at least a point in five straight games (3-0-2). Steve Mason made 24 saves in the win.
Not only did the Hurricanes lose their franchise-record 12th straight game (0-9-3), they lost the services of goaltender Cam Ward in the process.
The 2006 Conn Smythe Trophy winner, Ward stretched to make a save while Nash skated through the crease at the 7:35 mark of the first period. It appeared the Columbus captain or a defenseman cut the Hurricanes netminder in the leg with a skate.
Ward, who stopped all four shots he faced, was attended to by team trainers before being helped off the ice. As he was leaving, drops of blood littered the ice. Ward was then taken to a local hospital for further evaluation.
"I don't know anymore now. I know he went to the hospital," Carolina head coach Paul Maurice said of Ward. "I haven't gotten a call back. It's a significant injury and all I mean by that is I don't have any timeline, but there was a fair amount of blood on the ice. All I know it was on one of his legs other than that I do not know anymore. It is my understanding that he is going to stay in the hospital overnight."
Michael Leighton took over between the pipes for the Hurricanes and stopped 19-of-22 shots. Erik Cole and Tim Gleason each scored his first goal of the season in defeat.
Moments after Ward exited the game, Cole opened the scoring, positioning himself in the right circle and drilling Matt Cullen's cross-ice pass at 9:05.
Following a scoreless middle frame, Columbus lit the lamp three times in a span of 2:41 early in the third. Filatov tied the game 50 seconds into the period, and Boll gave the home team the lead at 2:55. Nash made it 3-1 at 3:31.
Gleason brought the Hurricanes to within a goal with 7:51 remaining, but Carolina couldn't produce an equalizer.
"We played one period today and got away with it," said Columbus head coach Ken Hitchcock. "We played really well in the third period and got a great lift from our young guys."
Game Notes
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