The Carolina Hurricanes were back on the ice at Lenovo Center on Wednesday after a day off, with Alexander Nikishin working as an extra and coach Rod Brind'Amour saying the defenseman is “definitely an option for tomorrow.” Carolina has already taken the first two games of the series at home, and it now has a two-day gap before the next one.
That gap matters because the Hurricanes have not had to chase the series yet. They protected home ice in Games 1 and 2, and the second win came with a late twist that still shapes the way they are talking about the series. Assistant coach Jeff Daniels urged Brind'Amour to swap Seth Jarvis and Jordan Martinook during the third period of Game 2, and the change quickly led to the tying goal before Carolina finished the job in overtime. One player in the room captured the mood bluntly: “They're going to throw everything at us, and we're going to throw everything at them. That's the beauty of playoff hockey.”
For Sebastian Aho, the lesson from that swing was not to overthink what already works. He said playoff hockey is a grind mentality and “nothing stupid,” while also saying the team still has another level when it comes to executing plays. Aho said, “I have a lot of confidence in our line. Away from the puck, we're playing hard. We're playing good. That can't change. We need to keep doing what we do, but then be a little smarter with the puck. I think we're chucking it away a little too easy.”
He added that Carolina can create more if it sharpens the final pass. “Obviously, it's on us to figure it out and to find the game,” Aho said. “Sometimes, (a switch) is good. Even switching for a period gives you a different jump. It worked out last game perfectly.” He said, “We've still got to make plays when the play is there. Most of the time, playoff hockey is a grind mentality. Nothing stupid.”
Brind'Amour said Tuesday that Nikishin had been cleared to play after passing all tests in the NHL's concussion protocol, and Wednesday's skate suggested the defenseman is close to rejoining the mix. Nikishin has missed time since Game 4 of the first round, but he also logged a heavy workload this season, playing in 81 of 82 regular-season games and appearing in all four games of the first-round win over Ottawa. On Wednesday, Mike Reilly skated with Shayne Gostisbehere after a standout performance in Saturday's Game 1 shutout victory, another sign that Carolina has options if it chooses to change the blue line again.
The Hurricanes do not need a wholesale rewrite. They have already shown they can win at home, they have already shown they can recover in real time, and now they have the extra defenseman back in the conversation. What Brind'Amour decides for tomorrow will tell whether Carolina trusts the group that opened the series or reaches for another tweak after the one that changed Game 2.