Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce suffered a non-contact, lower-body injury at the end of Game 2. According to Luke DeCock of The News & Observer, Pesce is likely to miss the rest of the Hurricanes first-round series with the New York Islanders. DeCock adds, “Timeframe beyond that still unclear, looks like a couple of weeks at the least.”
Per @KeithKavJr, the duo of Pesce and Brady Skjei faced the most challenging situations, logging 981 minutes of 5v5 ice time, yet managed to maintain control, boasting a positive xG rate of 53% and a positive Shot Attempts rate of 58%.
It’s anticipated that Dmitry Orlov will join Skjei on the defensive line, while Tony DeAngelo will slot in and pair up with Jalen Chatfield.
Pesce Could Make a Return Later in the Playoffs
The good news here is that Pesce is not being ruled out for the rest of the playoffs. With the Hurricanes holding a 2-0 series lead, the odds are already in the favor of Carolina moving on. Should they, there is a chance that Pesce could be ready to join them against either the New York Rangers or Washington Capitals.
Pesce is a pending UFA who has been a top-four defenseman for the Hurricanes for years. He averages around 20 minutes per game and has one assist in the postseason so far. Pesce isn’t what some would call an elite defenseman, but he’s vastly underrated and extremely effective.
He will be missed by the Hurricanes who fortunately have depth to deal with injuries. They are still considered a favorite coming out of the Eastern Conference.
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