WINNIPEG, MB. - After making four consecutive starts, Pyotr Kochetkov appears set to have the night off on Monday, as the Carolina Hurricanes are expected to turn to Antti Raanta against the Winnipeg Jets.
Rod Brind'Amour said pre-game on Saturday that he wanted to give Kochetkov a break for the team's most recent outing, but Raanta was under the weather, so the 24-year-old earned a 19-save win over Buffalo.
Raanta will look for a bounce-back performance this evening, his first start since November 24. On Black Friday at PNC Arena, he allowed eight goals on 14 shots to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Brind'Amour has been adamant about saying that the first four goals in that contest were not the fault of the veteran netminder, and the only reason he did not remove him from the game following was because he had already put Kochetkov in too many relief situations already this season.
Raanta is 6-3 in nine starts this season.
In front of the Canes' crease, there were no changes to the team's lineup of skaters.
The group had perhaps their most complete showing of the season on Saturday against Buffalo, taking a 6-2 victory. Special teams were perfect, as the power play converted on both tries, and the penalty kill went five-for-five.
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Tonight's Projected Lineup...
Forwards
Bunting - Aho - Jarvis
Svechnikov - Kotkaniemi - Teravainen
Martinook - Staal - Fast
Noesen - Drury - Necas
Defense
Slavin - Burns
Skjei - Pesce
Orlov - Chatfield
Goaltenders
Raanta
Kochetkov
Injuries
Frederik Andersen (Blood Clotting Issue)
Healthy Scratches
Tony DeAngelo
Brendan Lemieux
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PP1: Aho, Jarvis, Svechnikov, and Teravainen with Burns
PP2: Bunting, Kotkaniemi, Necas, and Noesen with Slavin
