Hurricanes Rumored To Change Goalies For Game 4 vs Islanders

There is a very good chance that the Carolina Hurricanes are changing goalies ahead of Game 4 in New York against the Islanders after Antti Raanta has started the first three games of the series. The Hurricanes' goalie situation has been like none other in the NHL this season as they have three very capable goalies to choose from.

Raanta may have started the playoffs because Frederik Andersen was dealing with an illness and Pyotr Kochetkov is technically the third string goalie this season, but there is very good reason to make the change in net to take a stranglehold on the series heading back to Carolina.

Raanta has a very good record of 8-0 with a 1.64 goals against average (GAA) and .939 save percentage (SV%) at home where he helped the team win the first two games of the series, but he should not continue to play games on the road. Away from home he is 0-7 with a 3.78 GAA and .874 SV% in his career. He didn't play badly in Game 3 in a loss to the Islanders, but the losing continued.

Carolina had two options they could go to. Andersen is the more likely option as he is good to go in net. Kochetkov, who also played very well this season for the Hurricanes, would be a better choice than Raanta in Game 4 on the road. Raanta had only started more than three games in a row this season once, and he had the luxury of having the Christmas break in between starts to give him some rest. They can surely go back to Raanta in Game 5 at home, but the Hurricanes have the luxury of options in net.