Andersen practises with Hurricanes, but return to lineup still unclear

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen. (Karl B DeBlaker/AP)

Carolina Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen practised with his teammates on Monday, marking his first activity with the full team since being injured on April 16, though a timeline for his return to the lineup remains unclear.

Andersen was the first Hurricanes player to take to the ice at Madison Square Garden on Monday, Walt Ruff, the team's reporter, noted. Andersen made his way off the ice after about 20 minutes of work in what appeared to be a planned early departure.

At this time, the Hurricanes have not provided an update on if Andersen's appearance signals the next modest step in his progress, or if his return is imminent.

Andersen was ruled out of action before the Hurricanes' first game against the Boston Bruins in Round 1, stemming from a lower-body injury he suffered against the Colorado Avalanche on April 16 while extending his left leg to make a save. He missed the final six games of the regular season with the ailment as well.

The injury clouded the Hurricanes' playoff hopes with uncertainty, as the 32-year-old had been in the midst of a sterling season. Since signing with the Hurricanes as a free agent, he posted a 35-14-3 record along with a 2.17 goals-against average, .922 save percentage and four shutouts.

In his absence, Antti Raanta emerged as a stabilizing force between the pipes for Carolina, assuming the starter's role and responsibilities for the entirety of the Hurricanes' playoff run thus far.

Across nine starts, the 33-year-old has a 1.86 goals-against average and a .939 save percentage.

Raanta was absent from practice on Monday, though it did not appear to be for an injury-related reason.

The Hurricanes hold a 2-1 series lead over the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference semifinals, with Game 4 set to be played at MSG on Tuesday. Live coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET on Sportsnet.

When submitting content, please abide by our  submission guidelines, and avoid posting profanity, personal attacks or harassment. Should you violate our submissions guidelines, we reserve the right to remove your comments and block your account. Sportsnet reserves the right to close a story’s comment section at any time.
We use cookies to improve your experience. Learn More or change your cookie preferences. By continuing to use this site, you agree to the use of cookies.
close