The Carolina Hurricanes kept their hot streak alive in a 6-3 doubling up of the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night, but it may have come at the cost of yet another goaltender. Pyotr Kochetkov was injured in the second period of the victory, needing to be helped off the ice after a hard collision with Ducks forward Isac Lundestrom.

Canes coach Rod Brind'Amour confirmed afterwards that the ailment was an upper-body injury. The team has no further update on the young Russian's condition.

Kochetkov had stopped just 11 of 14 shots faced prior to the injury, but had won each of his last four starts coming into Thursday's game. He had appeared in 22 games, going 11-7-3 with a .903 save percentage in that span. But he's been especially potent over the last 10 games, sporting a 7-1-2 record with a sparkling .931 save percentage.

Kochetkov's recent success has been part of a greater surge for a Carolina team that has won seven of 10 games — and picked up at least a point in nine of them — to improve to 23-13-5.

The Hurricanes are now just three points back of the New York Rangers for the top spot in the Metropolitan Division, and six back of the Boston Bruins for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

Still, the injury to Kochetkov is concerning, especially considering Frederik Andersen still doesn't have a timeline and remains out indefinitely with a blood clotting issue.

If the 24-year-old is forced to miss time, veteran Antti Raanta will take over the crease. The Finn has struggled in 2023-24, even being placed on waivers by the team earlier this season.

Although he stopped all four shots in relief to help the Hurricanes pick up the win, the 34-year-old was sporting a ghastly .861 save percentage and 3.27 goals against average before entering.

Hurricanes continue to surge

Carolina Hurricanes players looking frustrated.

Although Kochetkov's injury is disappointing, Carolina continues to win games, and they're potting a ton of goals in the process. The team is scoring 3.46 goals per game, good enough for eighth in the National Hockey League.

That's especially impressive considering the early-season struggles this Stanley Cup contender went through.

The red-hot Hurricanes will be back in action — with or without Pyotr Kochetkov dressed — in a divisional battle against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PNC Arena on Saturday night.