26 days ago, goaltender Brandon Bussi wasn’t even a member of the Carolina Hurricanes. With very minimal time to adjust to a brand-new system, many Hurricanes’ fans and players were unsure as to how he would perform.
Much to their surprise, he has quickly become a well-received backup netminder in the absence of fellow injured goaltender Pyotr Kotchetkov and has quietly become an integral part of Carolina’s early-season success.
“I would just say he’s a gamer,” said defensemen Mark Reilly. “He works his ass off and you know, practices and competes for every single puck. He’s a great kid too, so good to see him, you know, get rewarded here, and obviously a really great opportunity for him right now.”
Bussi stole the show for the Hurricanes tonight as his many timely saves on high-danger opportunities allowed Carolina to maintain its multi-goal lead for a large majority of the game, ultimately resulting in a 6-2 win for the Hurricanes (7-3-0) over the New York Islanders (4-5-1).
Coming into the game, Bussi had posted a .911 save percentage to accompany his 2-1-0 record with wins against the San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings. With a win tonight and 26 saves on 28 shots, those numbers are sure to increase, showcasing how valuable a pickup he has become for the infirmary of the Hurricanes’ team.
It’s easy to feel confident and play well in net when the offense in front of you is consistently lighting the lamp, just as the Hurricanes did all throughout the game. By midway through the first period, they quickly jumped out to a 3-0 lead, giving their goalie a bit of a breather for his first game in front of the home crowd.
“We watched a lot of video,” said Bussi. “Our team took some accountability on some things we thought we needed to change, and I think we saw it in the result tonight.”
Opening the scoring was left winger Bradly Nadeau three minutes into the game. Nadeau flung a wrister from the left circle, going right over Islanders goaltender David Rittich’s glove to open the game 1-0. This goal marked the first of his young NHL career, but, more significantly, his parents were in attendance to see it happen.
With Rielly and Martinook adding a second and third tally, respectively, for the Canes in the first, the Islanders looked to respond with a goal of their own. Just past the midway point in the period, Islanders’ defenseman Matthew Schaefer netted the only power play goal of the game to give him three total on the season. This summer’s No. 1 overall pick is off to a fast start, and his eight points have him tied for second amongst rookies, making him one of the front-runners for the NHL’s Calder Trophy, which recognizes the best overall rookie.
After an eventful first period, the second did not have the same intensity, as only one power play from each team made the scoresheet. Neither team could convert, however, leaving the score at a 3-1 advantage for the Hurricanes, but not without another blemish on Carolina’s already-ugly power play percentage, which currently sits last in the league and is now under 10%.
Early in the third period, however, winger Jackson Blake buried a puck behind Rittich via a well-timed drop pass from fellow winger and linemate Taylor Hall to extend the lead for the Canes, 4-1. Bussi was credited with a secondary assist for his first NHL point, adding to his already extraordinary night.
With their hopes of a victory quickly diminishing, the Islanders found a slight spark when right wing Simon Holmstrom scored with 9:12 remaining in the third. However, only 11 seconds later, Svechnikov broke through with a goal of his own to make it 5-2 and immediately reversed the momentum the Islanders had hoped to gain back.
Center Logan Stankoven’s goal in the final seconds of the game proved to be the final nail in the Long Island coffin as it marked the team’s sixth of the night, capping off an overall dominant performance.
After a game full of treats for the Hurricanes, they received an unfortunate trick with an injury to star center Seth Jarvis near the end of the third period. Jarvis suffered a lower-body injury after taking a puck to the ankle, where he meekly hobbled off the ice with the help of medical staff.
Rod Brind’Amour said postgame that it “doesn’t look great” for Seth Jarvis, who left the game after blocking a shot with his ankle, per @WaltRuff.
He says the team will know more tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/yKKmqGk26A
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) October 31, 2025
“Yeah, that doesn’t look great,” said head coach Rod Brind’amour. “I gotta be honest, we’ll know tomorrow, but he’s not feeling great at this moment, so hopefully, it won’t be serious, but it doesn’t look good.”
With injuries riddling the team so far this season, the Canes will have to learn to adapt to their new norm and try to continue to perform consistently with many of their players out until further notice. The first test for the likely “Seth Jarvis-less” Hurricanes will be traveling up north to Boston for a date with the Bruins on Saturday, Nov. 1. Puck drop is set for 1 p.m.
