RALEIGH, N.C. — With the Florida Panthers hoping to avoid a Game 6, coach Paul Maurice said Wednesday morning that he expects first-line right wing Sam Reinhart, second-pair defenseman Niko Mikkola and fourth-line left wing A.J. Greer to all return Wednesday night for Game 5.
Maurice made it clear that all three players are not being rushed back.
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“Healthy players play,” Maurice said. “If you can’t be better than the guy that I’m going to put in your spot, you’re not playing.”
Reinhart, who led Florida in scoring during the regular season with 39 goals and 81 points in 79 games, should help a Panthers power play that has looked disjointed in two games without him. The Panthers are 0-for-8 on the man advantage in the past two games, including 0-for-4 in Monday’s 3-0 loss, which was a one-goal game until two late empty-net goals for Carolina.
Mikkola scored twice, including the winner, in Game 3 before being injured late in the game. Greer, who also missed Game 3, scored the winning goal in Game 1.
The injury news for the Hurricanes was a little less positive. Neither defensemen Jalen Chatfield (lower-body injury) nor Sean Walker took Wednesday’s morning skate, and both will miss Game 5, coach Rod Brind’Amour said.
Chatfield last played on May 12 against the Capitals. Walker was injured in Game 2 against the Panthers.
The development means, almost certainly, that rookies Alexander Nikishin and Scott Morrow will again take regular shifts along Carolina’s blue line. Morrow looked more comfortable in Game 4 on the third pair with Shayne Gostisbehere, but Nikishin might’ve been the story of the game.
Nikishin, 23, forced a turnover and set up Logan Stankoven for Carolina’s crucial first goal. A top prospect and top defenseman in the KHL this past season, he was playing in his third game in North America, again on a second pair with Dmitry Orlov.
Nikishin, Brind’Amour said, has come a long way in a short time.
“He’s picked up most of the stuff he has to,” Brind’Amour said. “There’s still a huge learning curve. I don’t want to tell you where, because there’s still a lot of areas that he’s unsure. But I guess (Nikishin’s play has been) a pleasant surprise. Against this team, this time of year, he’s done very, very well.”
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Orlov’s presence has also helped move things along; Nikishin, for now, doesn’t speak all that much English.
“They’re obviously speaking the same language, so (Orlov is) helping him,” Brind’Amour said. “There’s so much going on, the quick reads off face offs and coverage. I mean, we can go on for an hour here on things that are happening out there that you take for granted.
“And it does help that Dmitry can kind of help him out. And when he comes to the bench, (assistant coach Tim Gleason is) telling Dmitry, (Dmitry’s) telling him. There’s a lot going on here, but that’s what you have to do.”
After the morning skate, Nikishin spent some extra time getting shots up with Andrei Svechnikov, who is a fan.
“(Nikishin has) just been unbelievable,” Svechnikov said. “I think he showed everyone that he came here with the experience and he’s already an NHL player. And he’s going to be one of the best defensemen in this league, I’m sure of that. And you know he plays hard with skill and with good vision as well.
“Big boy, you know? He’s tough. You’re gonna see. You’re gonna see.”
(Photo: Carmen Mandato / Getty Images)
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