RALEIGH, N.C. -- Frederik Andersen practiced with the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday for the first time since leaving Game 4 of the Eastern Conference First Round series against the New Jersey Devils on April 27.
The goalie left a 5-2 win at 4:19 of the second period after he sustained an undisclosed injury in a collision with Devils forward Timo Meier. Andersen made six saves on seven shots.
"I feel good," Andersen said after practice. "It's nice to be out there with the guys, getting back at it."
Pyotr Kochetkov made 14 saves in relief in Game 4. Kochetkov, who was 27-16-3 with a 2.60 goals-against average, and an .898 save percentage in 47 regular-season games, made 31 saves in Carolina's 5-4 double-overtime series-clinching victory on Tuesday.
"You never want to leave a game in the middle of a playoff series," Andersen said. "Obviously, we were still able to close out the win there. Happy about that, but obviously it [stinks] not being able to be out there."
The Hurricanes will face the Washington Capitals in the Eastern Conference Second Round. Game 1 of that series will be on Tuesday.
Andersen, who was in the starter's crease Friday, started the first four games of the series, going 3-1 with a 1.59 GAA and .936 save percentage.
"It's crucial, this time of year especially," Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour said. "It always comes down to you've got to get those saves. It's the nature of that position. You've got to get timely saves, and you've got to give us a chance to stay in games when maybe we're not playing our best. That's what he's done for sure."
Andersen was 13-8-1 with a 2.50 GAA and .899 save percentage in 22 regular-season games. He missed 39 games because of a knee injury in October that required surgery on Nov. 22.
"Freddie was unreal in the games against New Jersey," Hurricanes defenseman Dmitry Orlov said. "He made some saves that kept us in the game. He's always calm, he's got a lot of experience. He's always chill, not emotional a lot. Our job is to make sure he sees the puck, take the sticks away for the tips and block a shot sometimes. Whatever helps him (because) he's going to help us."
Forwards Sebastian Aho and Eric Robinson each missed practice Friday. Aho was unavailable for personal reasons, while Robinson "didn't feel 100 percent," Brind'Amour said.
