Boston Bruins' Hampus Lindholm out for Game 3; Carolina Hurricanes uncertain on Antti Raanta
The Boston Bruins have ruled out defenseman Hampus Lindholm for Friday's Game 3 of their first-round Stanley Cup playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes, who might be without starting goaltender Antti Raanta.
Lindholm was injured during the second period of Wednesday's Game 2 in a violent collision with Hurricanes forward Andrei Svechnikov. Lindholm was gathering the puck along the boards when Svechnikov hit him hard into the glass.
Lindholm was unable to get up on his own and needed help from goaltender Linus Ullmark and the Bruins' training staff to reach the dressing room. He would not return due to a lower-body injury, and Boston coach Bruce Cassidy said after the game Lindholm was "not doing well."
Cassidy confirmed Thursday that Lindholm made the return trip to Boston after initially being uncertain whether the blueliner would be cleared to travel.
Meanwhile, the Hurricanes will wait and see whether Raanta is healthy enough to play Friday, when they will attempt to take a commanding 3-0 lead in this best-of-seven series. Raanta left in the first period Wednesday after Bruins forward David Pastrnak ran him over in the crease.
Raanta appeared to be bleeding from the mouth as he exited, but Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour said Raanta did not enter concussion protocol. He was able to do a workout session Thursday, but Brind'Amour said his availability for Game 3 had yet to be determined.
"We put him on the ice today and that was a good sign, but he's still not 100 percent," Brind'Amour said. "So I'm not sure on where we'll be tomorrow. Hopefully he'll be OK to get in there, but I'm not sure at this point."
Rookie Pyotr Kochetkov stepped in for Raanta to make his NHL playoff debut Wednesday, stopping 35 shots while backstopping the Hurricanes to a 5-2 victory. Kochetkov has been Raanta's backup as Carolina waits for incumbent starter Frederik Andersen to recover from a lower-body injury.
Kochetkov, 22, even drew the ire of Bruins agitator Brad Marchand late in Game 2, when Marchand gave Kochetkov a slash after the whistle. Marchand was fined $5,000 on Thursday for the incident.
In other goaltending news, the Bruins will be making a change at the position in Game 3. Cassidy went with Ullmark in Games 1 and 2, and the veteran produced an .860 save percentage as Boston was outscored by a combined 10-3. The Bruins will turn to rookie Jeremy Swayman for Game 3.
Swayman was 24-13-3 in the regular season, with a .914 save percentage and 2.41 goals-against average.
"Linus has been fine. We have to do a better job at the other end," Cassidy said. "But we may need a performance where we need that timely save that gives the guys some life. That's where we're at right now. [Carolina] is scoring goals and not giving many up. I'm not saying Ullmark is the reason [we're down]; he's not. But Swayman will be in there. Hopefully, he's up for the task."
