PHILADELPHIA - The Carolina Hurricanes are "hopeful" to have defenseman Alexander Nikishin back in their lineup on Thursday as they face the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 3 of their second-round Stanley Cup Playoffs series.
Forced out of action due to a concussion sustained in Game 4 of the team's Round 1 victory over the Ottawa Senators, the 24-year-old blueliner was cleared from the league's protocol earlier this week. Mike Reilly filled in admirably next to Shayne Gostisbehere for the first two games of the series, but having played in 81 of the team's 82 regular-season games, Nikishin, when available, has been the go-to option.
"He's big and strong, can move the puck and shoot," Rod Brind'Amour told reporters this morning in Philadelphia. "He can play physical. If he's in the lineup, that's what he needs to bring."
Behind the cast of skaters, Frederik Andersen will continue his run between the pipes. Set to make a seventh consecutive start, his .958 save percentage and 1.02 goals against average are the best among all goaltenders this postseason.
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Tonight's Projected Lineup...
Forwards
Svechnikov - Aho - Jarvis
Hall - Stankoven - Blake
Ehlers - Staal - Martinook
Carrier - Jankowski - Robinson
Defense
Slavin - Chatfield
Miller - Walker
Nikishin/Reilly - Gostisbehere
Starting Goaltender
Andersen
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Injuries
N/A
Scratches
Nicolas Deslauriers
Pyotr Kochetkov
Jesperi Kotkaniemi
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PP1: Aho, Ehlers (Staal), Jarvis, and Svechnikov with Gostisbehere
PP2: Blake, Hall, Jankowski, and Stankoven with Nikishin/Miller
Jordan Staal has been taking the faceoffs to start most power plays. If he wins it, he'll stay on the ice. When the puck comes out of the zone, he jumps off, and Nikolaj Ehlers jumps on with the first unit. If he wins it for the second unit, Mark Jankowski jumps on when Staal goes off.
