Rookie Kochetkov gets 1st shutout, Canes beat Blackhawks 3-0
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 14: Andreas Athanasiou #89 of the Chicago Blackhawks slides into the wall while grabbing the puck in the third period against the Carolina Hurricanes at United Center on November 14, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by B
CHICAGO - Rookie Pyotr Kochetkov made 27 saves for his first career shutout, and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Chicago Blackhawks 3-0 on Monday night.
Jordan Martinook and Jordan Staal each had a goal and an assist for Carolina (10-5-1). Andrei Svechnikov scored his team-leading 12th goal, and Brent Burns had two assists.
Kochetkov wasn’t heavily tested, but made some timely close-in stops in his second start this season and fifth game of his career.
The 23-year-old Kochetkov is the first goalie in Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers franchise history to win his first five games. The 6-foot-3 native of Penza, Russia, made two starts last season.
Kochetkov was recalled from the minors last week after Frederik Andersen was placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury. He stopped 20 of 22 shots in a 7-2 win over Edmonton on Thursday in his season debut.
Chicago’s Petr Mrazek blocked 29 shots as the Blackhawks (6-6-1) were blanked for the third time this season.
The Hurricanes dominated the first period, outshooting the Blackhawks 14-8 and taking a 2-0 lead.
Martinook opened the scoring at 9:45 on a midair deflection of Burns’ high shot from the point. It appeared Martinook’s stick might have been above his shoulder, but the goal stood despite protests from the Blackhawks.
Staal made it 2-0 with 3:11 left in the period, beating Mrazek over the glove on the short side with a screened shot from the right circle.
Kochetkov made a sprawling stop on Max Domi from the edge of the crease during a Chicago power play early in the second. He made a point-blank save on Reese Johnson midway through the period following a Carolina turnover.
Svechnikov boosted Carolina’s lead to 3-0 with 5:53 left in the second after a turnover by Chicago’s Caleb Jones.
Jones tried to make a hard pass up the middle from behind Chicago’s net, but the puck deflected off Jesper Fast’s stick to Svechnikov, who fired immediately.
Kochetkov made a nifty glove save on Sam Lafferty early in the third. He stopped Philipp Kurashev from close range twice late in the period.
WORTH NOTING
Mrazek dropped to 1-1 against Carolina, a team he played with for three seasons. ... Chicago F Jason Dickinson missed his second game with an undisclosed illness. Coach Luke Richardson said Dickinson has lost a lot of weight. ... Blackhawks F Tyler Johnson (ankle) has resumed practicing. ... Carolina D Maxime Lajoie, recalled from the AHL on Sunday, played his first game with the Hurricanes this season.
UP NEXT
Hurricanes: Host Colorado on Thursday
Blackhawks: Host St. Louis on Wednesday.