The Carolina Hurricanes are keeping goalies fresh and relatively protected in terms of shot volume.
It’s a formula that has translated well for the reigning Stanley Cup champions in recent seasons and it’s appearing again a month into the season.
The Hurricanes have the best record in the NHL and they’ll look to win for the ninth time in 11 games on Thursday night when the Columbus Blue Jackets visit Raleigh, N.C.
Goalie Pyotr Kochetkov has tied a Carolina franchise record with his 8-0-0 start to the season. He boasts a 1.62 goals-against average while facing just 19.8 shots per game.
“More worries about the quality of my game (than any record),” Kochetkov said.
He said it’s typical with every save seeming relevant when there’s rarely a high volume of shots to deal with.
“Goaltending is all about the timely saves,” coach Rod Brind’Amour said.
Kochetkov played the past two games, so the Hurricanes might turn back to Brandon Bussi (2-2-2, 3.27 GAA) against the Blue Jackets.
Columbus has won two games in a row for the first time this season, with both those results in overtime. That included Tuesday’s 4-3 outcome in Philadelphia, where the Blue Jackets led 3-0 less than 14 minutes into the game but had to recover in the extra session.
“We knew they were going to come at us in the second, and we just didn’t handle it very well,” said Blue Jackets coach Rick Bowness. “You take the foot off the gas in this league, and you’re going to be on your heels, and we were.”
The result was secured with Kent Johnson’s overtime goal, giving him a three-point game for the third time in his career. That outcome marked the first Columbus victory in three road games this season.
The Blue Jackets haven’t won in regulation since the season opener against Buffalo.
“It feels good to win,” said Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski, who assisted on both of Johnson’s goals Tuesday. “It feels good to clean things up after a win. It’s way better than after a loss. We’re a good hockey team in here, and we know it.”
Blue Jackets defenseman Dante Fabbro made his season debut in Philadelphia after missing time with an upper-body injury.
Sebastian Aho’s third-period goal Tuesday night against the Boston Bruins provided the difference in Carolina’s 2-1 victory. It marked the 69th game-winning goal of his career, extending his franchise record.
The Hurricanes, who earned a day without practice Wednesday, had other contributors show up in different ways against the Bruins. Forward Nicolas Deslauriers had a prolonged first-period fight with Boston’s Tanner Jeannot, showing another facet to Carolina’s lineup.
“That’s an element that we haven’t really had in the past, and we do now,” Brind’Amour said.
Carolina had winger Mark Jankowski on the ice Tuesday for slightly more than 17 minutes following a four-game injury absence. He became a key face-off player, winning seven of 15 attempts.
The Hurricanes expected to have veteran forward Taylor Hall (three goals in eight games) back Tuesday night after he was activated from the injury list. But Brind’Amour said he tweaked something that does not appear to be a serious issue, but enough to miss more time before he returns.