The game between the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Islanders had some ups and downs… but most of them happened before the puck even dropped at UBS Arena.
On Monday, the Hurricanes recalled two players from the Chicago Wolves, Felix Unger Sorum – who was Chicago’s leading scorer, and Pyotr Kochetkov – the goaltender projected to miss the remainder of the season.
Then, on the morning of the game, defensemen Joel Nystrom and Ronan Seely were recalled.
Roster dilemma leads to emergency backup goaltender assignment
Two hours before the game, head coach Rod Brind’Amour spoke to 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 shortly 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 additional issue, as Frederik Andersen was unavailable to play.
Thus, Long Island native Brandon Bussey took the crease for the second consecutive night. The emergency backup goaltender was 28-year-old Thomas Sullivan, who played seven games for nearby Stony Brook University between the ACHA’s 2021–22 and 2022–23 seasons, and previously warmed the bench as an emergency goaltender for the Washington Capitals in a game against the Islanders during the 2022–23 season.
game highlights
Early in the first period, Nikolaj Ehlers scored the Hurricanes’ first goal of the game, with the primary assist coming from Unger Sörum, making his second-inning of his NHL career. It was a good frame for the 20-year-old forward, who also hit the post on a shot from the right face-off circle. You could see he was enjoying the occasion too.
“It’s been really fun,” he said during the first intermission. “I’ve just been smiling all day, and just waiting for this moment, so it’s been really fun.”
To make the moment even more special for the young winger, he was joined in the stands by his family, who had traveled from Norway and Sweden.
“This is very special,” he said. “They’ve helped me a lot on my journey so far, and I have a lot to thank them for. So, it’s been really fun to have them visit here.”
In the second period, the Islanders went to work during a delayed penalty, with Bo Horvat finding the back of the net to hold the Hurricanes to 54 seconds, tying the game and scoring the 300th NHL goal of his career in the process. Additionally, the second assist came from Victor Eklund, younger brother of San Jose Sharks top-six forward William Eklund, in his NHL debut.
In the third period, Mark Jankowski scored the go-ahead goal with just over five minutes remaining in regulation. This proved to be the game-winner, as neither team was able to score after the Islanders pulled their goaltender.
A rare occurrence, the Hurricanes fell behind 29–21, but ultimately won 2–1.
storm notes
No clear explanation was ever given regarding the roster issue other than a ‘roster technicality’. After the trade deadline, teams do not have a roster limit and are limited only by salary cap rules. Thus, the impression is created that this was merely a matter of paperwork.
With the Boston Bruins clinching the top Eastern Conference wild card with a 4–0 win over the New Jersey Devils, the Hurricanes are scheduled to face the Ottawa Senators in the first round of the playoffs.
Scoring their 113th point with the win over the Islanders, the Hurricanes finished second in the entire league, guaranteeing home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs over the top-place Colorado Avalanche.
During the third period, William Carrier took a blow to the face while on the bench. He left the game after some time.
Not only was Felix Unger Sorum’s family present during the game, but Ronan Seely’s father as well as Brandon Bussey’s family were also confirmed to be in attendance.
On Tuesday, it was the first time since April 13, 2023 that the Hurricanes finished the regular season with a win, when they defeated the Florida Panthers 6–4.
Nikolaj Ehlers was the only player to skate in all 82 games for the Hurricanes this season.
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