The Carolina Hurricanes will be without veteran defender Brett Pesce for at least a little while after he suffered a lower-body injury in the second period of Game 2 against the New York Islanders on Monday.
After missing Wednesday's practice, Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour reported that Pesce would more than likely miss the remainder of the first-round series against the Isles.
"He's out for, more than likely, this series," Brind'Amour said. "He's a big part of what we're doing, so it's a big blow."
Pesce has been a staple of the Canes' defense and is also Carolina's go-to shutdown defender in his pairing with Brady Skjei.
He's one of the best in the league in zone entry denials and he's second on the team in blocked shots. It won't be an easy loss to stomach for a team like Carolina that is so dependent on their blueline.
In Pesce's place, the expectation is that Tony DeAngelo will slide in alongside Brady Skjei.
DeAngelo appeared in 31 games for Carolina this regular season, posting three goals and 11 points.
While DeAngelo had the weakest defensive numbers on the team in the regular season, those improved significantly in his more recent appearances over the last couple of months.
He's done well paired with Skjei when injuries sidelined other Carolina blueliners, so perhaps the pair can continue to make that partnership work in Pesce's absence.