Kochetkov Goes 9–0 and Breaks Carolina's Record — Then the 3–0 Lead Almost Vanishes
GOATIFYPyotr Kochetkov made history on a night when the Carolina Hurricanes nearly made a mess of their own celebration. The goalie stopped 24 shots, improved to 9-0-0 and broke the franchise record for consecutive wins to begin a season as Carolina defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2 on October 29. Yet the defending Stanley Cup champions had led 3-0 only 16 seconds into the third period before the game suddenly became a scramble.
The result captured two sides of Carolina's impressive start. Kochetkov has given the Hurricanes a dependable final line of defense, while a deep group of forwards has helped the team build an NHL-best 11-2-2 record. The late Columbus comeback showed how quickly that advantage can narrow. Carolina took the points and the record, but it also left with a warning about protecting leads.
Kochetkov's 9–0 Start Is a Hurricanes First — and an NHL Rarity
Nine wins in nine decisions to start a season is a major milestone for any NHL goaltender. For Carolina, it is unprecedented. Kochetkov entered the Columbus game level with Frederik Andersen, who won his first eight decisions in 2021-22. The victory moved Kochetkov clear of that franchise benchmark and gave the Hurricanes a new mark to measure future goalies against.
The wider historical list makes the run more striking. Jack Campbell opened 2020-21 with 11 wins, Carey Price began 2016-17 with 10, and Felix Potvin recorded nine to start 1993-94. Kochetkov has joined Potvin at nine, trailing only those two longer runs. This is rare company for a goalie whose previous season was largely lost to injury.
Goaltending wins are not an isolated measure of individual quality. A team must score, defend and avoid leaving its goalie exposed to a constant stream of high-danger chances. But Kochetkov has contributed much more than simply appearing behind a good lineup. Against Columbus he made 24 saves on 26 shots, including difficult second-period chances for Adam Fantilli. When the Blue Jackets rallied late, he still had to protect a narrow lead.
The streak carries extra weight because a lower-body injury limited Kochetkov to nine appearances in 2025-26. Carolina nevertheless signed him to a two-year extension in September, backing his ability to become a significant part of its future. His early-season form is an emphatic response to concerns about whether he could regain rhythm and shoulder a larger workload.
That does not make him an automatic award winner or guarantee that the streak continues. It means Carolina has a reason to trust its crease while the schedule gets tougher. A club that already won the Stanley Cup now has another potential advantage: a goalie playing confidently enough to make even awkward victories possible.
Stankoven, Jarvis and Jankowski Built a Lead That Looked Safe
Carolina did not ask Kochetkov to win a 1-0 game. The Hurricanes created a comfortable cushion through three different scorers and several kinds of attacking play. Jordan Martinook opened the scoring late in the first period with a shot from the left circle that deflected off Columbus defenseman Erik Gudbranson. It was an opportunistic goal, but it rewarded a period in which Carolina held a 16-8 edge in shots.
The second goal displayed more of the speed and skill that have made the Hurricanes dangerous. Nikolaj Ehlers carried the puck over the blue line and threaded a pass through the Columbus defense to Logan Stankoven. The young forward attacked the net and finished past Jet Greaves at 7:47 of the second period. It was Stankoven's ninth goal of the season, putting him at the top of Carolina's scoring list for goals.
That contribution matters because Carolina has plenty of established attacking names. Stankoven has become a regular finishing option rather than merely an energetic supporting player. Ehlers brings pace and creativity that can open space even when the opposing defense is set. With Taylor Hall sidelined, the ability to rearrange lines without losing every source of offense has been particularly useful.
The third goal came almost immediately after the final intermission. Seth Jarvis stripped the puck from Damon Severson behind the Columbus net and found Mark Jankowski in front. Jankowski finished only 16 seconds into the period, giving Carolina a 3-0 advantage that seemed to end the contest. Jarvis finished with two assists and has been rebuilding his contribution after offseason shoulder surgery.
Jankowski's goal was his seventh in eight games, an unexpected scoring burst from a player whose value often comes from less visible work. Martinook, Stankoven and Jankowski offered three different solutions to the same problem: how to score without depending entirely on one star. It looked like a demonstration of championship depth. The final twenty minutes would turn it into a test of composure.
Columbus Scored Twice in 2:54 and Nearly Stole the Finish
A three-goal lead with almost a full period left should be enough for a team as organized as Carolina. But Columbus refused to accept the game was finished. Denton Mateychuk scored at 6:56 of the third period, and Kent Johnson followed on the power play at 9:50, redirecting a Charlie Coyle pass across the crease. In two minutes and 54 seconds, the score moved from 3-0 to 3-2.
The Blue Jackets did not manufacture their comeback from nothing. They put 11 shots on goal in the final period, compared with eight in the first and seven in the second. Their forecheck became more assertive, Carolina spent longer defending and the Hurricanes' earlier control began to slip. Kochetkov suddenly had a much more difficult assignment than the scoreboard had suggested only minutes earlier.
Johnson's goal highlighted the danger of allowing an opponent to build momentum on special teams. The puck moved across the goalmouth, forcing Carolina's defenders and goalie to respond to a rapidly changing angle. Not every goal conceded is evidence of poor goaltending. Sometimes the attacking team creates a chance that is difficult to stop, and Carolina's task should be to reduce the frequency of those opportunities.
Columbus can take something from its response without pretending the loss was a moral victory. The Blue Jackets started too slowly and allowed Carolina to dictate the first period. Jet Greaves made 24 saves, and the late pressure suggested his team could compete when it played with greater urgency. But a strong ten-minute stretch cannot erase the damage of falling three goals behind.
For the Hurricanes, the warning is straightforward. Their best hockey comes when they pressure the puck and make opponents spend energy escaping their own end. Protecting a lead cannot mean retreating so far that every shift becomes defensive survival. Carolina held on, but a similar lapse against a more clinical opponent could turn an easy win into an avoidable defeat.
The Champions Are 11–2–2, but October Does Not Award Another Cup
Carolina is 11-2-2 through fifteen games, has won three in a row and has taken eleven of its previous thirteen. The defending champions have earned the right to be considered one of the NHL's strongest early teams. Recent results include a shutout of St. Louis, a tight win over Boston and now a narrow victory against Columbus. They have not relied on only one formula to collect points.
That variety matters. A championship-caliber club needs to win when its top scorers are quiet, when a forward is injured or when the opponent finds a late push. Rod Brind'Amour's system remains recognizable: pressure the puck, defend in layers and make opponents work for their chances. Kochetkov's emergence gives the structure an extra level of security, particularly when the game is no longer being played entirely on Carolina's terms.
But the season is still young. An 84-game schedule can expose weaknesses that are easy to overlook during a hot opening month. Opponents will study Carolina's transitions, adjust to its line combinations and challenge the goalie over a heavier workload. A 9-0-0 start is evidence of excellent form, not a promise of an undefeated winter. Managing recovery and avoiding unnecessary defensive breakdowns will matter as much as celebrating milestones.
The forward group also has to remain balanced. Stankoven's finishing has helped offset absences, Jarvis is finding his rhythm after shoulder surgery, and Jankowski has supplied timely goals. Those contributions reduce the burden on Sebastian Aho and the other established names. The earlier injury interruptions make that depth especially valuable, but they also underline how quickly a team can need new combinations.
Winnipeg visits next, and the most useful response to the Columbus scare would be a cleaner sixty-minute performance. The Hurricanes do not have to dominate every opponent. They do have to maintain the habits that created the lead in the first place. If they can keep playing aggressively at 3-0 rather than simply hoping the clock expires, Kochetkov's record could become the opening chapter of another genuine title run.
Kochetkov's ninth straight win to begin the season deserves attention. He broke Andersen's Carolina record, joined a short list of NHL goaltenders with nine opening victories and made the saves required to finish the job. Martinook, Stankoven, Jankowski and Jarvis gave him three goals of support.
But the most useful takeaway is not simply that the Hurricanes won. They almost allowed a comfortable lead to disappear. Carolina has the league's best early record and the talent to defend its championship. The next challenge is making sure its structure stays intact for all sixty minutes, so a goalie playing historic hockey does not have to rescue games that should already be under control.
