Lenovo Center Arena | Carolina Hurricanes
Lenovo Center Arena | Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes secured a 4-0 victory over the New York Islanders at Lenovo Center on Tuesday, with Pyotr Kochetkov delivering a 32-save shutout. This marked Kochetkov's first shutout of the season and ninth in his career. The 25-year-old goaltender now holds a record of 13-5-0 for the season.
Carolina started strong with two goals in the first period. Andrei Svechnikov scored a power-play goal at 5:47, followed by Jordan Martinook capitalizing on a rebound created by Jordan Staal. In the second period, Tyson Jost and Sebastian Aho added to the scoreline, securing a comfortable lead for the Hurricanes.
Kochetkov's performance was crucial as he thwarted any comeback attempts from New York in a scoreless third period. His efforts place him tied for second among NHL goaltenders with nine shutouts since the start of last season.
The Hurricanes' penalty kill unit continued its impressive form, not allowing a power-play goal for seven consecutive games. Their current kill rate stands at 85.3%, ranking third in the league.
Sebastian Aho has been consistent, recording points in ten of his last twelve games and accumulating 33 points this season. He ranks second on the team behind Martin Necas.
Head coach Rod Brind'Amour praised his team's performance: "Tonight was nice... Our goalie was the difference." Kochetkov himself expressed satisfaction with both his own performance and that of his teammates: "We always play good in the defensive zone... I'm happy today."
Sebastian Aho commended Kochetkov's contribution: "[He was great], especially early on... It was great to see him have that kind of game." Tyson Jost highlighted the collective effort: "Our whole lineup, everyone has skill... that's what makes a good hockey team."
When asked about maintaining focus during potential shutouts, Kochetkov admitted to some thoughts during final minutes but focused on staying calm and doing his job.
The Hurricanes will take Wednesday off before resuming practice Thursday ahead of their road trip starting Friday against Washington Capitals.
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