Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson leaves Thursday’s game due to injury

The No. 1 netminder in Orange County had an early end to his night.

In a game against the Carolina Hurricanes, less than an hour after Pyotr Kochetkov was injured in the same contest, Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson had to exit the game due to an apparent upper-body injury.

Gibson played the first two periods, giving up five goals on 26 shots, but did not return. It is not known when and where Gibson was hurt.

Lukas Dostal has stepped in relief.

It is a rarity to see one goaltender have to leave a game due to injury, let alone both starting goaltenders. Antti Raanta had to jump in the net for the Hurricanes.

It has been a tough start to the 2023-24 season for Gibson, as it has been for his entire team. In 25 appearances, the former Kitchener Ranger is 7-16-0 with a 2.97 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage.

He had given up five goals for the second time in his last three starts, as Gibson allowed seven against the Edmonton Oilers on New Year’s Eve.

It is too early to tell how long Gibson will be out, if at all. He already missed a game back in November due to an upper-body injury, and has been bit by the injury bug throughout his 10-year career.

Gibson is in the fifth year of an eight-year contract with an AAV of $6.4 million that he signed back in the summer of 2018.

In 456 career NHL games, Gibson is 187-195-59 with a 2.84 GAA, .912 SV% and 24 shutouts.

The Ducks are hopeful Gibson does not have to miss too much time, or else he will join a laundry list of players on the shelf. Earlier on Thursday, Trevor Zegras was placed on injured reserve, expected to be out six to eight weeks, while Pavel Mintyukov was ruled out for six weeks. Leo Carlsson and Tristan Luneau are also on the injured list.

The Ducks (14-25-1) are seventh in the Pacific Division, eight points ahead of the last-place San Jose Sharks, 14 points back of the last Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.