After a second straight absence, it's now confirmed that Carolina Hurricanes netminder Pyotr Kochetkov miss the team's season opener and potentially more.
After the team's Thursday morning skate, Brind'Amour gave an update on Kochetkov, stating that he was going to be checked out again tomorrow.
"Something went in practice the other day and didn't feel right," Brind'Amour said. "Hasn't gotten any better. That's definitely not something we wanted to hear, but we'll have more hopefully tomorrow."
Carolina Hurricanes vs. New Jersey Devils: Lineups, Game Preview and How to Watch
<b>What </b>- Game 1 (0-0-0) <br><b>When </b>- 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 9<br><b>Where </b>- Lenovo Center; Raleigh, NC <br><b>How to Watch</b> - ESPN+, hulu
The 26-year-old goalie has been in and out of action throughout training camp, but now it looks like it's something big enough to warrant another opinion as Brind'Amour stated he was being checked out "again."
Any time missed by Kochetkov is a big blow for Carolina, who already lost their third goalie (Cayden Primeau) to waivers.
The Canes will play tonight and Saturday before embarking on a six-game, two-week road trip.
The team doesn't want to ride starting goalie Frederik Andersen too hard because the 37 year old already has a prolific injury history.
That would then leave them no choice but to throw an unproven goaltender in Brandon Bussi, who the team claimed off of waivers and has yet to make an NHL appearance, in for at least a handful of games.
More goalie problems was the last thing the Hurricanes wanted, especially this early into the year.
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