Hurricanes Have NHL Debuts, Emergency Backup Goaltender in Game 82 Win Over Islanders
Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images 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. 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.
We have got some no-bucket rookie laps for two debuting Carolina Hurricanes players tonight in Ronan Seeley and Felix Unger Sorum! Per Tripp Tracy, Unger Sorum's parents are in attendance, and Seeley's father is in attendance. #CarolinaCulture #Isles #NHL pic.
twitter. com/KyAjJwx9TD — Queen of the Puck (@rbarkleyhockey) April 14, 2026 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.
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