Hurricanes goalie Andersen left Stars game with injury. GM said Thursday, ‘he’s fine’

The Carolina Hurricanes’ goalies can’t seem to stay healthy and in games.

Frederik Andersen, Antti Raanta and Pyotr Kochetkov all have missed games or been hampered during games by various injuries this season. Andersen, who started the team’s road game Wednesday against the Dallas Stars, left after the first period with an upper-body injury.

Canes president and general manager Don Waddell indicated Thursday afternoon that Andersen was not seriously injured, saying, “He’s fine” in a text message

Andersen’s injury was hard to detect. He had a collision around the net with defenseman Brent Burns about 5 1/2 minutes into the game, falling to the ice. Later, Andersen made a quick move, stretching back to his right to reach a puck near the post, then was clipped by the puck moments later when the Stars’ Jason Robertson beat him with a shortside shot.

Andersen did not show any noticeable discomfort during the period, but Raanta took over after the first and was the winning goalie as the Canes won 3-2 in overtime on a Martin Necas goal.

“It’s always a little bit weird when you have to jump in there,” Raanta said after the game. “At least I had the intermission there and was able to get a little focus and start doing my normal preparation.”

Raanta was then clipped in the back of the neck by the stick of the Stars’ Mason Marchment in the third period but not injured. Raanta later made a save against Marchment in the final minute of regulation.

The Hurricanes (30-9-8), who host the San Jose Sharks on Friday, did not practice Thursday.

It has been a challenging, at times frustrating season for Andersen, who turned 33 in October. He started eight games early in the season, then left practice Nov. 8 with what he later described as a lingering knee issue that kept him out the next 29 games.

Last season, Andersen sustained an MCL tear in an April 16 road game against the Colorado Avalanche. He missed the end of the regular season and the Stanley Cup playoffs.

“This is not the same as last year, but there’s some wear and tear obviously from playing goalie for close to 25 years now,” Andersen said in a Dec. 8 interview after his return to Canes practice. “You have to be careful.”

Activated off NHL injured reserve on Jan. 12, he had started four of five games — winning all four and stopping 113 of 120 shots — before leaving the game Wednesday in Dallas.

Raanta and Kochetkov have had their physical issues, as well, limiting their appearances and effectiveness.

Raanta, 33, was hit on the knee by a shot in a morning skate on Nov. 23, keeping him out of a start that night against Arizona at PNC Arena. Kochetkov then took over the brunt of the goaltending work and was named the NHL rookie of the month for December after going 7-0-1.

But during the Dec. 20 game against New Jersey, Kochetkov was slow to get back to his feet after making a sprawling toe save against the Devils’ Jesper Bratt late in the second period. The rookie finished the game — with 37 saves in a 4-1 Canes win — but then served as the backup goalie for Raanta the next five games.

Kochetkov, 23, started again Jan 3 against the New York Rangers, allowing four goals in a 5-3 road loss. He went 0-3-1 in four starts, not able to return to his December form, before being reassigned to the Chicago Wolves of the AHL on Jan. 16.

“We need him to play (games) and a three-goalie rotation is not the best for a young kid,” Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour said after Kochetkov was sent down. “We want to get his confidence to a high level. He had a good stretch there but he’s still a young goalie with a lot to learn.”