The Carolina Hurricanes recalled Antti Raanta from Chicago of the American Hockey League on Tuesday.
He was a 6-5-1 with a 3.61 goals-against average, a .854 save percentage and one shutout in 14 games (12 starts) with the Hurricanes before he was reassigned to the AHL on December 17 after clearing waivers. He was 1-0-1 with a 2.90 GAA and .875 save percentage in two matches with Chicago.
Raanta permitted six goals on 30 shots in a 6-5 overtime loss to the Nashville Predators on December 15, his last start for the Hurricanes.
“Obviously, he’s been part of our group for a while and you don’t like to see that,” coach Rod Brind’Amour said of Raanta the day he was sent down. “But obviously his game wasn’t quite there. It’s such an important position. When the goalie is not quite there, it’s glaring. It is what it is, I guess.”
In a similar move, goaltender Yaniv Perets was sent to Norfolk of the ECHL. Perets was called up when Raanta was sent down but did not play a match for Carolina.
Raanta is 133-78-28 with a 2.49 GAA, .915 save percentage and 20 shutouts in 267 matches over 11 NHL seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, Arizona Coyotes and Hurricanes, and 9-9 with a 2.48 GAA, .911 save percentage and one shutout in 24 Stanley Cup Playoff matches.
Pyotr Kochetkov has emerged as Carolina’s No.1 goalie this season with Frederik Andersen having been out since November 2nd because of blood clotting issues.
Kochetkov, who was the starter for 11 of the Hurricanes’ last 14 games, is 7-7-0 with a 2.69 GAA, .894 save percentage and one shutout in 18 games (16 starts).
Carolina (17-13-2) plays at the Nashville Predators on Wednesday (8 p.m. ET; BSSO, BSSO), one of the 14 matches scheduled with the NHL resumes play following the three-day holiday break.
