NHL Buzz: Andersen unlikely for Hurricanes in series against Rangers

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Carolina Hurricanes

Frederik Andersen is doubtful to play for the Carolina Hurricanes against the New York Rangers during the Eastern Conference Second Round.
The goalie has not played since sustaining a lower-body injury April 16. Andersen has not practiced during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour said he was hopeful Andersen could play at some point in the postseason.
The Hurricanes will host Game 1 of the best-of-7 series against the Rangers at PNC Arena on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, SNE, SNO, SNP, TVAS).
"I would hope so, especially if we can move on," Brind'Amour said. "Until he gets out there with us, you might as well stop asking me."
Antti Raanta had a 2.37 goals-against average and .927 save percentage in six first-round games against the Boston Bruins, including 27 saves in a 3-2 win in Game 7 on Saturday. He missed Game 3 because of an upper-body injury.
"[Raanta] is the guy," Brind'Amour said. "Until 'Freddy' even touches the ice, it's not even a conversation. Antti obviously has been great."

Tampa Bay Lightning

Brayden Point did not play in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Second Round against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday because of a lower-body injury.
Point was injured in the first period of Game 7 of the first round against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. He was chasing the puck in the offensive zone and his right leg twisted as he slid into the baords. Point watched the rest of the 2-1 win from the bench. He did not skate on Monday, and the Lightning did not hold a morning skate Tuesday.
"We'll see what kind of progress he makes here," coach Jon Cooper said Monday. "Anything that gives us hope he'll be back is encouraging."
Tampa Bay won 4-1 in Game 1.
Point has four points (two goals, two assists) in seven playoff games, including the game-winning goal in overtime of Game 6 against Toronto. He had 58 points (28 goals, 30 assists) in 66 regular-season games.
"I think the biggest thing is just kind of sticking to our game plan," center Anthony Cirelli said. "Obviously, when you don't have 'Pointer' in the lineup, he's a huge part to our team, but I think we just have that next-man-up mentality and everyone's got to be ready to bring a little bit more to the table and try to fill that void." -- Corey Long, Tom Gulitti

New York Rangers

Barclay Goodrow's lower-body injury will keep the Rangers forward out for at least Games 1 and 2 of the second round against the Hurricanes, but there's a possibility he could return at some point in the series.
"He hasn't skated yet, but we're not counting him out for this series," New York coach Gerard Gallant said Monday. "He's not going to start the first couple games, but we'll see how it goes. But he hasn't been on the ice yet."
Goodrow was injured blocking a shot with his left foot in Game 1 of the first round against the Pittsburgh Penguins. He missed the last six games of the series.
The Rangers came back from 3-1 down to win the series in seven games, defeating the Penguins 4-3 in overtime in Game 7 at Madison Square Garden on Sunday.
Goodrow is the only player on the Rangers who has won the Stanley Cup, doing so with the Lightning the past two seasons. He set NHL career highs in goals (13), assists (20) and points (33) in 79 regular-season games. -- Dan Rosen

Pittsburgh Penguins

Brian Boyle had surgery on his left knee Monday. The expected recovery time is six weeks.
The forward was injured in Game 6 of the first round against the Rangers and did not play in Game 7, which the Penguins lost 4-3 in overtime.
Boyle can be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. He had 21 points (11 goals, 10 assists) in 66 regular-season games and two assists in six playoff games for the Penguins.

Minnesota Wild

Matt Dumba said he missed 12 games late in the regular season with a dislocated rib, a broken rib and a punctured lung. The defenseman returned to play in the best-of-7 Western Conference First Round against the St. Louis Blues, which the Wild lost in six games.
"Yeah I was going to play no matter what," Dumba said Monday. "I really wanted to push to have one [regular-season] game in before [playoffs]. We wanted to give it a test run. Yeah, I felt good enough to play."
Dumba sustained the injuries in a 6-2 loss at the Nashville Predators on April 5. He returned for Minnesota's final regular-season game, a 4-1 win against the Colorado Avalanche on April 29.
Dumba had one goal in Game 6 and was plus-4 with 15 shots in the playoffs. He will not need surgery.
"Thanks to our (medical) staff working with me every day, or I wouldn't have been able to come back at the rate that I did and even play," he said. "Those guys pushed me knowing I wanted to get back and help this team in whatever capacity because it's just so much fun to be a part of."
Joel Eriksson Ek took a stick to the mouth from Wild defenseman Dmitry Kulikov in the first period of Game 6 and wore a cage the rest of the game. The forward sustained four broken teeth that were later pulled.
"Yeah, it's been hard eating, but it's getting better," Eriksson Ek said. "The first two or three days was really sore, but now it feels a little bit better."
Eriksson Ek had five points (three goals, two assists) in the playoffs. -- Jessi Pierce