Giving up a goal with one minute and six seconds left in the game to go to overtime was already bad for the Carolina Hurricanes, but losing your starting goaltender with just over two minutes left in the extra session was worse.
Canes defenseman Sean Walker and Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski were physically pushing against each other as the latter was driving to the net with the puck. Walker fended off Werenski from getting around him but as goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov leaned past the post, Walker couldn’t change direction and his right thigh made direct contact with Kochetkov’s head and neck area.
Kochetkov laid motionless on the ice for about half a minute before the on-ice trainer ran out to check on him. With goaltender Frederik Andersen undergoing knee surgery and out for 8-12 weeks, Kochetkov was looked upon to fill the starting role and take on a lot of the heavy work.
Now, Carolina is down its top two goaltenders and without a true NHL-caliber netminder for the foreseeable future. More on Kochetkov won’t be known until Monday but it was encouraging that the Russian skated off the ice with some assistance.
Like the last game against the New Jersey Devils, center Jack Roslovic opened the scoring, this time it was against his hometown team. The Columbus, Ohio native joined center Sebastian Aho on the rush and despite losing his balance, tied the game at 1-1 less than five minutes after Columbus defenseman Dante Fabbro opened the scoring.
Roslovic played the last four seasons with Columbus before being traded to the New York Rangers last season. Even after netting his 12th goal of the year, he received an ovation from the crowd in his first game back since being moved.
The Blue Jackets scored twice on their six shots in the first frame with the second coming on a breakaway similar to their first. Right wing Kirill Marchenko did it himself, forcing a turnover and skating coast to coast to fire home a wrister off the post and past Kochetkov.
After a sloppy first period that saw the Canes go down a goal off two costly turnovers, they turned it around in the second period scoring three goals compared to Columbus’ one. Defenseman Jalen Chatfield, right wing Jackson Blake and Aho all netted one in the middle 20.
Each team scored on the man advantage with Blue Jackets left wing Dmitri Voronkov tapping one in and Aho responding with a one-timer on a pass from center Martin Necas.
The one-goal lead heading into the third wasn’t enough to stave off a hungry Columbus group looking for its third win in a row. Despite killing off a four-minute power play, the Hurricanes couldn’t close when the Blue Jackets pulled their goalie and Marchenko scored his second of the night.
With Kochetkov going down in overtime, goaltender Spencer Martin filled his place, making one save before the game went to a shootout. The first attempt of the shootout proved to be the difference-maker as Columbus center Sean Monahan beat Martin to the blocker side.
Most Carolina fans have already put the dropped point out of mind and turned their attention to the goalie situation brewing in Raleigh. There’s no doubt Martin will be the man at least for Monday’s game against the Dallas Stars but beyond that is filled with question marks.
The Hurricanes enter a tough stretch of games during the Thanksgiving holiday week, facing the Rangers and back-to-back games against the defending Stanley Cup champions Florida Panthers. All eyes are on General Manager Eric Tulsky and whether he’ll make a move or bide his time.
The Canes will face Dallas on Monday at 7 p.m.
