Hurricanes Have NHL Debuts, Emergency Backup Goaltender in Game 82 Win Over Islanders

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The game between the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Islanders had some twists and turns…but most of those happened before the puck even dropped in UBS Arena.

Monday, the Hurricanes recalled two players from the Chicago Wolves in Felix Unger Sorum – the leading scorer in Chicago, and Pyotr Kochetkov – the goaltender projected to miss the rest of the season.

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Then, the morning of the game, defensemen Joel Nystrom and Ronan Seeley were recalled.

Roster Dilemma Leads to Emergency Backup Goaltender Assignment

Two hours before the game, head coach Rod Brind’Amour spoke with the media and confirmed that all three skaters – and Kochetkov – would play against the Islanders. However, a monkey wrench was thrown into that plan less than an hour before puck drop.

Kochetkov was pulled from the ice soon after warmups began, as it was then announced that he would not be able to start due to roster technicalities. Furthermore, the problem came with an extra issue, as Frederik Andersen was unavailable to play.

As such, Brandon Bussi – a Long Island native – took the crease for the second night in a row. The emergency backup goaltender was Thomas Sullivan, a 28-year-old who played seven games for the nearby Stony Brook University between the ACHA’s 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons, and previously warmed the bench as an emergency goalie for the Washington Capitals during the 2022-23 season in a game against the Islanders.

Game Highlights

Early in the first period, Nikolaj Ehlers got the Hurricanes the first goal of the game, with the primary assist coming from the debuting Unger Sorum in just the second shift of his NHL career. It was a good frame for the 20-year-old forward, who also rang the post on a shot from the right face-off circle. You could see he was enjoying the opportunity, too.

“It’s just been really fun,” he said during the first intermission. “I’ve just been smiling all day, and just been waiting for this moment, so it’s been really fun.”

To make the moment even more special for the young winger, he was accompanied by his family in the stands, who had made the trip from Norway and Sweden.

“It’s so special,” he said. “They’ve helped me so much along the journey so far, and I have so much to thank them for. So, it’s been really fun they could make the journey here.”

In the second period, the Islanders went to work during a delayed penalty, wearing the Hurricanes down for 54 seconds before Bo Horvat found the back of the net, tying the game and scoring his 300th career NHL goal in the process. Additionally, the secondary assist came from Viktor Eklund, the younger brother of the San Jose Sharks’ top-six forward William Eklund, in his own NHL debut.

In the third period, Mark Jankowski notched the go-ahead goal with just a tad over five minutes left in regulation. It proved to be the game-winner, as neither team was able to score after the Islanders pulled their goaltender.

A rarity, the Hurricanes were outshot 29-21, but ultimately, took the win 2-1.

Hurricanes Notes

A clear explanation was never given regarding the roster issue, other than it being a ‘roster technicality’. After the trade deadline, teams do not have roster limits and are only limited to salary cap rules. As such, it leads to the assumption that it was simply a paperwork issue.

Due to the Boston Bruins clinching the top Eastern Conference wild card with a 4-0 win over the New Jersey Devils, the Hurricanes’ first-round playoff matchup is set to be against the Ottawa Senators.

Acquiring their 113th point with the win over the Islanders, the Hurricanes clinched the second spot leaguewide, guaranteeing the home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs, with the exception of the top-placing Colorado Avalanche.

During the third period, William Carrier took a puck to the face while on the bench. He left the game shortly after.

Not only was Felix Unger Sorum’s family present during the game, but Ronan Seeley’s father was confirmed to be in attendance, as well as Brandon Bussi’s family.

Tuesday was the first time that the Hurricanes closed out the regular season with a win since April 13th, 2023, when they defeated the Florida Panthers 6-4.

Nikolaj Ehlers was the only player this season to skate in all 82 games for the Hurricanes.

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