RALEIGH, N.C. — The Columbus Blue Jackets began their 22nd season with a 4-1 loss at Carolina on Wednesday night.
After Patrik Laine's goal opened the scoring in the first, the Hurricanes -- aided by an upper-body injury that would knock Laine out of the game, as well as a CBJ goal that was overturned for offsides -- scored four unanswered goals to pull away to the win.
Eleven seconds into the second period, Laine scored the Blue Jackets' first goal of the season, beating Frederik Andersen with a shot, assisted by defenseman Zach Werenski.
Later in the period, Laine would end up leaving the game with an apparent elbow injury.
The injury would happen while Laine was skating towards a puck in the corner, to the right of the Carolina Hurricanes' net, his arm would get pinned to the boards from a check by Carolina defenseman Brett Pesce.
He would remain on bench, while team trainers examined him. The team labeled it an upper-body injury. Blue Jackets coach Brad Larsen had no further update to share during his postgame press conference.
Laine, 24, is entering his second full season in Columbus after a trade back in 2021 from the Winnipeg Jets. The 2016 No. 2 overall pick had 26 goals and 56 points for the Blue Jackets last season. His goal last night now gives him 10 goals in 20 career games against the Hurricanes.
There are high expectations from Laine, who is playing on the team's top line this season, especially after Columbus signed free-agent forward Johnny Gaudreau to play alongside him this summer.
The Hurricanes would take over after the injury as Martin Necas had a goal and two assists. Seth Jarvis, Brady Skjei and Andrei Svechnikov also netted a goal in the win.
The Blue Jackets return home for their first game of the year inside Nationwide Arena on Friday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
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