Emotional? Yes. Aggressive? You bet. Evolution of Canes goalie Pyotr Kochetkov on full display

Pyotr Kochetkov’s English is getting better.

The Carolina Hurricanes like to think the goaltender also continues to get better, that at age 25 his NHL experience is accelerating his maturation process in net.

As Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour put it, “He’s been a solid goalie. Now he’s looking to get more starts and continue that growth.”

Kochetkov no longer shies away from a camera or media questions, or defers to Andrei Svechnikov to be his Russian translator. There’s growth there, too.

Before the Canes left on a six-game road trip, Kochetkov stood in front of his locker at Invisalign Arena and engaged a few members of the media for several minutes, smiling, working hard to find the right words.

Asked if his combative style in net tends to irritate opposing teams, Kochetkov said, “Sometimes, yes. I do play an aggressive style. It’s no big deal about how different guys feel about the way I play. I just try to do my job. I just want to stop the puck.”

Thursday in Calgary marked Kochetkov’s 70th NHL start, regular-season or playoffs. He stopped 30 of 32 shots as the Canes turned back the Flames, 4-2, for their third win on their Western trip.

Kochetkov made an early glove save on Calgary’s Nazem Kadri, soon made another sharp stop on a Rasmus Andersson shot, and settled in quickly. The Canes led 1-0 after the first period and built the lead to 3-0 in the second before the Flames broke through on a goal by former Canes defenseman Jake Bean.

Late in the second period, Kochetkov was scrambling around the net when he had his mask knocked off in the crease by a falling Andersson. The Flames’ MacKenzie Weegar then got off an outside shot after the whistle to stop play, drawing the ire of the Canes and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Weegar.

Kochetkov’s reaction? A grin.

Emotions in check

It hasn’t always been that way for the guy they call “Kooch.” He has taken umbrage with the likes of Brad Marchand of the Boston Bruins and Brady Tkachuk of the Ottawa Senators.

Remember last season? Tkachuk had a penalty shot in the December game in Ottawa, only to have Kochetkov make a sprawling poke check — the “old-school” move he favors — that both knocked away the puck and sent Tkachuk tumbling hard into the boards.

Kochetkov had a few words for Tkachuk and the two had to be separated by the referees as they jawed away at each other — not that either could fully understand was being said. Tkachuk received a game misconduct.

“Sometimes, I feel like I good play the puck on the poke check because not many goalies do that,” Kochetkov said of the play. “I just do what I do.”

And going face to face with Marchand in the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs? The Bruins’ pugnacious forward later was fined $5,000 for a slash on the Canes goalie, then 22 and in his first career playoff game.

“My first games in the NHL were very emotional,” Kochetkov said. “I want to stay in the NHL. He touch me, I touch him.

“For me, it’s nothing personal. He’s a good player. Same with Tkachuk and different guys. It’s just hockey. I just play my game and play how I can.”

Not too long ago, Kochetkov might have skated out toward Weegar on Thursday for a few choice words. But he didn’t. He just popped his mask back on and went back to work.

“I’m very emotional,” Kochetkov said. “But it’s a long season. I can’t be very aggressive every game and very emotional every game. My energy must be a little bit saved for a long season.”

Setting a rotation?

Kochetkov said he spent a chunk of the offseason at home in Penza, Russia, working with goalie coaches Vladimir Kulikov and Andrei Agapov on his technique.

“A couple of weeks, no puck, just skate,” he said of his conditioning work.

Kochetkov and Frederik Andersen have alternated in the first six games of the season, Andersen starting on opening night against Tampa Bay and Kochetkov earning Carolina’s first win of the season against the New Jersey Devils before the Canes left on the long trip.

Kochetkov was not sharp in the 4-3 loss to the Blues in St. Louis, facing 19 shots. After one Blues score, he sat motionless in the crease for a few seconds after looking over his shoulder to see the puck go into the net.

But Kochetkov was solid against the Flames. Andersen is expected to start Saturday against the Seattle Kraken and then Kochetkov on Monday at Vancouver as the Canes (4-2-0) close out a long road swing that began in Pittsburgh.

Brind’Amour said before the trip that he is not sure how the goaltending workload will be split this season, should both remain healthy — Kochetkov started 40 games last season as Andersen dealt with a serious blood-clotting issue.

So far, it’s three games for each in a straight rotation.

“We’ll see,” Brind’Amour said. “Is it going to be 50/50, is it going to be 60/40? I don’t know. Both of them will play a lot of games.”

And with different styles. Canes goalie coach Paul Schonfelder has called Kochetkov “something of a maverick” in net, an apt description.

“It’s all about you’ve got to do what you do to make you successful,” Brind’Amour said. “Freddie is a lot calmer in the net and that’s the way he has to play. Whatever makes you great, that’s what you have to do, and if (Kochetkov) feels he needs to be an aggressive goalie, then do it.”