After Hurricanes’ loss to Bruins, here’s how coach Rod Brind’Amour may shuffle lineup
.JPG "Boston Bruins’ Curtis Lazar (20) checks Carolina Hurricanes’ Brett Pesce (22) during the first period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Friday, May 6, 2022, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)")
Given the uncertainty about Jordan Martinook’s injury status, Derek Stepan might get his first taste of the playoffs Sunday for the Carolina Hurricanes. One thing is certain: he’s ready for it.
“It’s not an ideal situation but it’s an opportunity for me,” Stepan said Saturday. “I’m looking forward to it. I’m excited. I’m champing at the bit.”
Watching the first three games of the playoff series, Stepan said, has been hard, especially for a veteran player who signed as a free agent with the Canes with his eyes on a playoff run.
“You want to be a part of it,” he said. “It’s funny but you can see how regular-season versus playoff hockey how much it elevates and how much it changes in the importance of every single play. It’s a fun time to be playing hockey, that’s for sure.”
Brind’Amour did not commit to Stepan playing Sunday, saying, “It’s up in the air.” Forward Steven Lorentz also has been a healthy scratch the first three games and is available.
Other changes?
Brind’Amour said the Hurricanes would look at perhaps finding a way to get both Lorentz and Stepan into the lineup, which would require someone — most likely Max Domi or Martin Necas — to come out. Stepan’s experience and Lorentz’s size could both be assets the way this series has gone.
But the defense appears set, even with Brendan Smith needing stitches on his nose and Brett Pesce laboring after blocking several shots on the Boston two-man advantage that preceded the Bruins’ power-play goal to make it 3-1.
“It’s not like we have a ton of options,” Brind’Amour said. “But it’s tough because our D have played really well. That’s certainly not the issue back there. Whether (Lorentz) or (Stepan) comes in, someone has to come in for the one injury, do we make another switch? That’s just kind of stuff we’re kind of debating. I haven’t made that decision.”
And whether Antti Raanta or Pyotr Kochetkov starts Game 4 may depend on how practice went for Raanta on Saturday, with only a handful of players joining him on the ice.
“We’re going to see how ‘Raants’ does today,” Brind’Amour said. “he’s going out there now. We’ll reassess everything when he gets back.”
As for the special teams issues that plagued the Hurricanes on Friday, Brind’Amour was prepared to cut his penalty-kill some slack even if the power play underperformed.
“We did a nice job killing penalties, too,” Brind’Amour said. “It’s just, you give too many up. Even the second one they got, they made nice plays, but we had the puck, we had a chance to get it out. It didn’t work and it was in our net. We’ve got to be better there. That’s the game.”
Martinook X-rays negative
Martinook was injured Friday night when Taylor Hall fell on his right ankle as they got tangled skating past the Boston bench. X-rays on the ankle were negative but Martinook is considered out for Game 4.
The bearded rookie goalie
Pyotr Kochetkov might be new to the Stanley Cup playoffs but the rookie goalie appears to already have a nice playoff beard going. Or is it a playoff beard?
According to his translator, a more-than-willing Andrei Svechnikov, Kochetkov said, “He doesn’t have a girlfriend and can be messy.”
That answers that.
As long as Kochetkov keeps stopping the puck, Brind’Amour couldn’t care less about appearances.
“The moment isn’t too big for him,” Brind’Amour said. “Obviously we’re asking a lot, a ton out of him, and I think he’s been really solid.”
This story was originally published May 7, 2022 at 1:02 PM.
