Hurricanes Opt for Rookie Kochetkov in Goal for Game 3 Following 0-2 Deficit Against Rangers

Thursday, May 9th, 2024

In the upcoming Game 3 scheduled for Thursday, the Carolina Hurricanes are set to have Pyotr Kochetkov, a rookie goalkeeper, on their starting lineup as they currently face a 2-0 series deficit against the New York Rangers in the conference semi-finals.

In the previous game on Tuesday, the starting goalkeeper Freddie Andersen surrendered four goals, leading to defeats in both games held at Madison Square Garden, with a performance of saving 54 out of 62 shots.

The team's coach, Rod Brind'Amour, has expressed that Andersen, who has seen extensive playtime, is in need of a rest.

Kochetkov, despite his rookie status, is not new to playoff action, having taken part in six postseason games the previous year, competing against teams like the New York Rangers and the New Jersey Devils.

During the regular season, Kochetkov managed a save percentage of .911 and an average of 2.33 goals against in a span of 42 games.

Brind'Amour highlighted the distinctive, more emotionally open nature of Kochetkov's presence on the field, in contrast to Andersen's more composed demeanor.

The team will welcome back center Evgeny Kuznetsov to the game following his absence due to being a healthy scratch in Game 2.

The Hurricanes are looking forward to leveraging their home advantage in Raleigh for Game 3, aiming to capitalize on their solid 27-10-4 regular season home record at the game scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.

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