Another day, another injury to a Carolina Hurricanes goaltender.
On Thursday night, during a game against the Anaheim Ducks, Pyotr Kochetkov had to leave after a collision with Ducks’ forward Isac Lundestrom.
Just past the halfway mark of the second period, Lundestrom was driving the net, creating a scoring chance. After Kochetkov made a save, Hurricanes’ defenseman Dmitry Orlov hit Lundestrom into Kochetkov.
The Russian-born netminder had to leave the game, with Antti Raanta stepping in relief.
It is too early to tell what exactly is ailing Kochetkov, but it was an unquestionably hard hit.
The Hurricanes have earned the reputation of goaltenders getting dinged up over the years. From Petr Mrazek and James Reimer infamously getting hurt in the same game almost four years ago, to numerous injuries to Raanta, it has been tough to be a netminder in Raleigh.
Frederik Andersen, who has had his own injury struggles, is yet to return from a blood clotting issue that arose back in November. He started skating last month, but a recent illness has taken him back off the ice.
To date, Kochetkov has never had to miss time due to injury in the NHL. Expect an update to come either after the conclusion of the Canes and Ducks matchup, or on Friday.
If Kochetkov has to miss time, Carolina will have to make a decision. The only other goaltender they have signed to an NHL contract is 23-year-old Yaniv Perets. Perets is in his rookie season of pro hockey, and his currently playing with the ECHL’s Norfolk Admirals.
So far this season, Kochetkov is 11-7-3 in 22 appearances, with a 2.50 goals-against average, a .903 save percentage and a shutout. In 49 career games, he is 26-14-8 with a 2.46 GAA, .906 SV% and five donuts.
The Hurricanes (22-13-5) are sitting second in the Metropolitan Division, one point ahead of the third-place Philadelphia Flyers, and five points back of the New York Rangers for first.
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