Petr Mrazek expected to miss Hurricanes potential closeout game
The Carolina Hurricanes can complete a series sweep over the New York Islanders Friday night, but they’ll have to do it without Petr Mrazek.
As the Carolina Hurricanes prepare for Game 4 against the New York Islanders Friday night, goaltender Petr Mrazek is not expected to return from his lower body injury.
Mrazek was on the ice Thursday and again on Friday morning, which increased optimism about his availability for Game 4. But Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour declared his starting goaltender out:
“They’re out there right now, so that’s a good sign. I know he’s not playing tonight, but the fact that he’s out there taking shots, that’s a good sign.”
When Mrazek was injured in the second period of Game 2 against the Islanders last Sunday, Curtis McElhinney stepped in with 17 saves as the Hurricanes scored two goals early in the third period to get a comeback win.
McElhinney became the oldest goalie to make his first Stanley Cup playoff start Wednesday night (35 years, 343 days), and he had 28 saves in Carolina’s 5-2 victory.
The Hurricanes can complete a four-game sweep at home Friday night. Even with a loss, history says they will win the series and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals against either the Boston Bruins or the Columbus Blue Jackets.
So there’s no reason to rush Mrazek back, even if Brind’Amour was willing to do so.
"When he’s 100 percent we will get him back in there. But until then you can’t. There’s no point … We can’t rush a goalie back. He can’t play with an injury. There’s a difference with a goalie, I think. [Skaters] can kind of baby it a little, hide it. A goalie can’t. He has to be 100 percent in order to feel good about making his moves and exploding."
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With five straight playoff wins, the Hurricanes have quickly become a favorite to win the Stanley Cup. If Mrazek can get back to full strength, while his teammates possibly get a lot of rest between series, the “Bunch of Jerks” in Carolina could be one of the most surprising Cup winners ever.