The Carolina Hurricanes have made another change in goal for Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final, turning to Brandon Bussi after Frederik Andersen started the first 16 postseason games. The switch comes with Carolina trailing the series 2-1 and looking for a steadier answer after a 5-4 double-overtime loss in Game 3.
Andersen was a healthy scratch for that game and did not dress, while Pyotr Kochetkov remains the team’s backup. Kochetkov has not played since December, leaving Bussi as the goalie Carolina trusts most for this moment.
Why Bussi gets the nod
Bussi entered Game 3 in the third period and handled the pressure well at first. He stopped his first 18 shots across the third period and two overtimes before a bad bounce off his skate gave Vegas the winning goal.
That performance added to the debate around Carolina’s crease, but the team’s decision also reflects Bussi’s season-long work. The 27-year-old rookie was claimed on waivers before the season, won 31 of his 39 starts, and later earned a contract extension and a playoff spot on the bench.
Rod Brind’Amour has seen Bussi answer whenever the team has asked for more. “Pretty much every time we give him any type of opportunity, he seizes the moment,” the Hurricanes coach said between Games 3 and 4.
Andersen’s playoff slide and the Kochetkov role
Andersen gave Carolina strong work in the early rounds, but his numbers have moved in the wrong direction as the playoffs have gone on. His goals-against average has increased in each round, and his save percentage has dropped in each round as well.
That trend helped open the door for Bussi, while Kochetkov’s status adds another layer to Carolina’s goalie picture. The team’s No. 2 option has not seen game action since December, making the current setup a clear vote of confidence in Bussi rather than a rotation.
Carolina needs more in front of its goalie
The Hurricanes’ goaltending change is only part of the problem, because the defense has not been sharp enough in the series. Carolina has allowed 13 goals in three games, and many of those chances came from clean looks for Vegas.
Jordan Martinook said the team must tighten up regardless of who starts in net. “We’ve given up a lot of breakaways,” he said before Game 4, adding that Carolina needs to “shore up that side of the puck” and limit the Grade A chances it has been allowing.
That defensive improvement will matter as much as the goalie choice if Carolina wants to stay close in the series. Bussi now gets the chance to backstop the Hurricanes in their biggest game yet, but the team in front of him will need to reduce the high-danger looks that have driven much of Vegas’ early success.
