That's a tough one.
The Blue Jackets played well against a Carolina team that certainly has more talent than them. Well enough to earn a point.
When overtime came around, though, it was clear which team was going to win. Eventually, after several odd-man rushes, Dougie Hamilton received a fantastic pass from Alex Nedeljkovic (yes, him) and beat Elvis Merzlikins to secure the Hurricanes an extra point.
Let's get into tonight's three things.
OT Shambles
To put it nicely, the Blue Jackets were a mess in overtime tonight. Skill matters in 3v3, and it's something that the Blue Jackets don't have a whole lot of right now. Tonight's extra period saw Jack Roslovic and Cam Atkinson run into each other and create a free breakaway for Sebastian Aho. Luckily, Merzlikins stopped it.
From the time the puck dropped, it felt like when, not if, Carolina would score. Eventually, Nedeljkovic sprung Hamilton, who beat Merzlikins and won the game for the Hurricanes.
2-1 #Canes win.
— Alison (@AlisonL) May 2, 2021
Merzlikins was strong in net, but how many odd man rushes must a goaltender face?
Hamilton finally broke through for the game winner. #CBJ pic.twitter.com/mMbGSGANqA
Elvis Solid, Despite Loss
Yes, the Blue Jackets lost tonight. However, they wouldn't have even made it to overtime without the strong play of Merzlikins, who continued his good run of form after shutting out Detroit on Tuesday night.
Merzlikins with the big stop after a couple #CBJ collide giving #Canes the breakaway. pic.twitter.com/hdy02xAMV7
— Alison (@AlisonL) May 2, 2021
The Latvian netminder stopped 31 of the 33 shots that he faced tonight. With Joonas Korpisalo out for the rest of the season, Merzlikins is getting the opportunity to prove that he can be the full-time starter. He's certainly doing it so far.
Domi Impresses, Garners 19 Minutes of Ice Time
It's no secret that John Tortorella has been disappointed with Max Domi's play this season. Tonight, the narrative was flipped. Domi scored the Blue Jackets' opening goal, and played 19:34, the second-most among all Blue Jacket forwards.
The Jackets are on the board first! pic.twitter.com/LU814gG1bK
— Bally Sports Columbus (@BallySportsCBUS) May 1, 2021
He also notched three shots on goal. Through 49 games, Domi has notched a disappointing 7-14-21 line. It's been a tough year for just about every member of the Blue Jackets, and Domi is no exception.
