Carolina Hurricanes look to stay sharp with physical practice while awaiting second-round opponent :: WRAL.com
As the Carolina Hurricanes await their subsequent opponent within the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the crew is staying as sharp as they will at practice.
On Wednesday morning, the Canes hit the ice for a practice that did not look like your typical postseason practice. Canes head coach Rod Brind’Amour put his crew in game-like conditions to mimic the pace and physicality of the playoffs.
There was an emphasis on physicality.
“It’s a little bit of a guessing game on what’s the best way to approach things,” Brind’Amour stated. “You go back off all the way and get you know really feeling really great, or do you worry about the edge coming off? So I guess you kind of try to play somewhere in the middle.”
Several Hurricanes gamers instructed reporters within the locker room that they’re grateful for the remainder, however in the end, they need to get again out on the ice and play.
“It’s nice to go out there and compete,” Canes ahead Seth Jarvis stated. “We had a lot of battle drills, so it was good to kind of get that aspect. We sit for a few days, maybe you lose that. So it’s nice just to go out there.”
The Philadelphia Flyers maintain a 3-2 benefit of their first-round collection in opposition to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Flyers look to shut out the Penguins on Wednesday night time at residence.
However, if the Penguins win, it can push the collection to seven video games, which might possible additional delay the beginning of the Canes subsequent collection, since they’re going to play the winner between the 2 Pennsylvania groups.
The Hurricanes received a welcome sight throughout Wednesday morning’s practice. Rookie defenseman Alexander Nikishin was again on the ice in a yellow, no-contact jersey only a day after Brind’Amour instructed reporters he was “hopeful” he’d be prepared for his or her second spherical recreation.
Nikishin suffered a concussion this previous Saturday after a scary hit in Game 4 versus Ottawa, which took him out of the sport.
“I think he’s feeling good,” Brind’Amour stated of Nikishin. “Whatever he’s got to do to get tested, it’s all going along in the right direction.”
Nikishin was on the ice alongside his line accomplice Shayne Gostisbehere, however taking precaution in Wednesday’s drills. Being again on the ice and getting one step nearer within the concussion protocol was a welcome sight for his teammates.
“Concussions are never a straight line to coming back,” ahead Taylor Hall stated. “There are good days and bad days, and as you progress and go harder and harder, you might feel differently.”
If Nikishin cannot play, the Canes have Mike Reilly prepared to go, and so they recalled Charles Alexis LeGault from the Chicago Wolves earlier this week.
Reilly is the Canes’ seventh defenseman at full well being.
The Canes won’t practice on Thursday morning.
