| New York Rangers | |
| Carolina Hurricanes | |
| TNT | Thursday, May 9th 7:00 PM EDT | |
Raleigh, N.C. — The Carolina Hurricanes are making a change in net.
Goalie Pyotr Kochetkov will get his first start of the postseason Thursday night against the New York Rangers, Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said Thursday morning.
The Hurricanes trail the Rangers 2-0 in their best-of-seven playoff series. Game 3 is at PNC Arena at 7 p.m.
Frederik Andersen has started all seven playoff games for the Hurricanes. He is 4-3 with a 2.58 goals against average. The Rangers have scored four goals in each of the first two games with most of the damage on the power play.
“Freddie’s played really well, but he’s also played a lot,” Brind’Amour said. “I think giving him a little rest is the best thing.”
Kochetkov’s last appearance was on April 14. He played in 42 games this season, with 23 wins, 13 losses and a 2.33 goals against average.
“He’s fresh and hopefully has a great game,” Brind’Amour said. “He’s got a different demeanor, that’s obvious. Freddie’s really calm and cool, and Kooch is a little more passionate and wears his emotions on his sleeve. But they’re both pretty good goalies.”
Forward Evgeny Kuznetsov will return to the lineup in Game 3. He was a healthy scratch in Game 2, a 4-3 double overtime loss in New York.
“We all understand where we’re at and the situation,” Brind’Amour said. “I don’t think we need to dwell on that. It’s how can we find that extra play here or there that makes the difference. That’s really what it’s about.”
Hurricanes’ power play woes
Through two one-goal losses and a power-play conundrum, the Carolina Hurricanes find themselves trailing by two games in the second-round series against the New York Rangers.
The Hurricanes have gone scoreless on 10 power play opportunities in the first two games and were unsuccessful in trying to snap Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin’s streak of 29 playoff games of giving up three or fewer goals in Tuesday night’s Game 2. After squandering leads of 2-1 and 3-2, periods of inspired play in the first and second overtimes didn’t result in any game-winners as the team’s road playoff woes seem to have returned.
Brind’Amour knows Tuesday night’s events signify the momentum swings and razor-thin margins for error that come with the territory in playoff hockey.
“You got to fight for everything,” Brind’Amour said. “And then, even then, it’s not enough sometimes.”
“The games have been real tight,” Brind’Amour said. “A play here or there and we got to keep fighting to try to get that extra play because that’s really what is coming down to.”
Carolina is now 1-3 on the road this postseason, a callback to 2022 when they were 0-6 in two rounds against the Rangers and Boston Bruins.
It’s not for a lack of shooting. Shesterkin, who was upended by Andrei Svechnikov behind the net in the first period, stayed even-keeled through a barrage of shot attempts and made 54 saves.
Not wanting to go down 3-0, the urgency toward repairing the power play is at a fever pitch.
“They’re keeping us to the outside a little too much and we’re settling for that,” Brind’Amour said about the power play.
An active net-front presence to create traffic in front of Shesterkin will be key going forward. The Canes had 18 more shots than the Rangers, but didn’t consistently get the positioning on screens and tip-ins needed to throw off Shesterkin.
“I thought there was a lot of great shots in that game all alone in front of the net,” Brind’Amour said. “You know, he’s a great goalie. It’s obvious.
“We knew that coming in and we just got to keep, you know, you look at the goals we scored. They’ve basically been deflections or stuff that you can’t do anything about. That’s what we’re going to have to keep trying to do.”
In net, there’s a possibility the Canes go back to Pyotr Kochetkov, who hasn’t played since April 14. Frederik Andersen made 39 saves in Game 2, but allowed four goals for the second-straight game.
Max Comtois played in place of trade deadline acquisition Evgeny Kuznetsov in Game 2. Kuznetsov could return to action Thursday after scoring goals in Game 1 and Game 5 in the first round.
The Hurricanes did not practice on Wednesday.
Game 3 starts at 7 p.m. Thursday at PNC Arena.
Series schedule
- Game 1: Rangers 4, Hurricanes 3
- Game 2: Rangers 4, Hurricanes 3 (2 OT)
- Game 3: Thursday, May 9, 7 p.m. (PNC Arena)
- Game 4: Saturday, May 11, 7 p.m. (PNC Arena)
- Game 5: Monday, May 13, 7 p.m. (Madison Square Garden) * if necessary
- Game 6: Thursday, May 16, TBA (PNC Arena) * if necessary
- Game 7: Saturday, May 18, TBA (Madison Square Garden) * if necessary
