After a disappointing showing against the Washington Capitals, Canes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov followed up that game with a masterclass against the New York Rangers.
Kochetkov, who gave up three goals on 22 shots against Washington came into Madison Square Garden and went toe-to-toe with Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin. Giving up just one goal on 23 shots, Kochetkov shut the door on a struggling Rangers team.
Recording an assist on the game-winning goal and empty-netter to seal the victory, Kochetkov became just the fourth goalie in the NHL since 2017 to record a multi-point game. He also became just the second netminder in franchise history to accomplish the feat, the first since Ray Whitmore in 1989.
It wasn’t a dream start for Kochetkov and the Canes as they surrendered the Rangers’ only goal 17 seconds in. Left wing Jimmy Vesey led the rush and after getting to the front of the net, tipped the puck past Kochetkov.
Despite giving up the early goal, the Canes didn’t let it faze them and continued to work in front of their fortified goaltender. Only able to muster six shots on goal in the first, Carolina took its positive momentum from the end of the first and into the second, firing 16 shots on net in the middle frame.
Midway through the second, the Hurricanes had just come off their second power play opportunity when left wing William Carrier scored his fourth of the season. On a shot from defenseman Jaccob Slavin that hit iron, Carrier took the rebound going puck to stick, and stuffed it over the line.
When paired with left wing Jordan Martinook and center Jordan Staal, Carrier consistently refuses to be outworked, especially in front of the net, and it paid off once again. Earning a secondary assist on the play, Staal recorded his 400th career NHL assist.
Scoring once against Columbus earlier in the season and today against the Rangers, center Jack Roslovic has now scored against both of his former teams from the 2023-2024 season. However, it didn’t come without sacrifice in the form of some of his teeth.
Drawing a double-minor high-sticking penalty, Roslovic put his team on the power play for four minutes as he skated off to the locker room. The former Ranger returned in time to tip-in a perfectly waited pass from defenseman Dmitry Orlov past Shesterkin to give the Canes the lead with only four seconds left on the man advantage.
It was from there that Kochetkov and the Canes’ defense locked down the Rangers, killing off three penalties in the third period alone. With the clock ticking down, the Rangers pulled Shesterkin for the extra attacker, but a heads-up play from Kochetkov put the game out of reach.
Controlling the puck behind his net, Kochetkov rimmed it around the boards where right wing Andrei Svechnikov got it out of the zone and found center Sebastian Aho for the empty-netter.
The Hurricanes have little time to relish in their victory as they travel to Nashville to take on the Predators on Monday at 8 p.m.
