The Carolina Hurricanes have shown no resistance during the early stages of their Stanley Cup title defense.
Carolina is 9-2-2 through their first 13 games played and is fresh off a successful West Coast road trip.
On Tuesday, the Hurricanes have a big Eastern Conference clash with the Boston Bruins, who are off to a very solid start as well.
Before the Bruins game, the Carolina Hurricanes announced their starting netminder.
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Pyotr Kochetkov Draws Start for Carolina on Tuesday (10/27)
Hurricanes’ goalie Pyotr Kochetkov is expected to draw the start between the pipes on Tuesday, October 27, against the Boston Bruins.
He’s the featured goalie at morning skate, per multiple reports, and barring any last second changes, he will be in the starter’s crease for puck drop.
Pyotr Kochetkov is in the starter’s crease at morning skate.
Mark Jankowski is skating in a regular jersey, but as an extra.
Alexander Nikishin is here too, operating as an extra as
Kochetkov is off to a very good start for the Hurricanes this season and is slowly becoming their early-season 1A netminder.
In the Hurricanes’ most recent game (a win against the St. Louis Blues), Kochetkov recorded a shutout.
Carolina has won seven straight games when Kochetkov has started, and against the Bruins, this will be another good litmus test for the Russian goalie.
NHL.com wrote (about Kochetkov):
“The Carolina Hurricanes goalie [Kochetkov] is off to a 7-0-0 start and can maintain his perfect record when the defending Stanley Cup champions host the Boston Bruins at Lenovo Center on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN360).”
“I’m happy to be playing because I only played nine games last season and that was tough mentally,” Kochetkov said last week in Edmonton. “But it was actually good to see a game from the outside and it teaches you. Now when I have a bad night, I just think about how it’s better to have a bad night than to not be playing at all.
“I’m happy that I’m on this team and I’m happy I’m able to play. I don’t think about too many other things now, I just think about hockey.”
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Pyotr Kochetkov’s 2026 Season Thus Far
Pyotr Kochetkov has started seven of the Hurricanes’ first 13 games.
He’s 7-0-0 with a GAA of 1.70 and a marvelous save percentage of .917.
Kochetkov logged just eight starts in 2025-26 before a pretty serious injury, so it’s a welcome sign to see him back in the crease producing at a high level.
For Kochetkov’s 6-year NHL career (all with Carolina), he has a goalie record of 78-38-12 with a lifetime GAA of 2.41.
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