Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz: Hintz out for Stars in Game 5
Toews to return for Avalanche; Marchand still day to day for Bruins; Pesce practices with Hurricanes
© Glenn James/NHLI via Getty Images
Dallas Stars
Roope Hintz will not play against the Avalanche in Game 5 of the Western Conference Second Round at American Airlines Center in Dallas on Wednesday (8 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN, TVAS).
The forward left late in the first period with an upper-body injury sustained after blocking a shot in the Stars' 5-1 win in Game 4 on Monday.
Hintz has six points (two goals, four assists) and is averaging 17:13 of ice time per game in the playoffs. He will be replaced by forward Radek Faksa, who has one goal in four games this postseason while averaging 10:42 of ice time.
“We essentially played without him last game,” coach Pete DeBoer said of Hintz. “I think he played six, seven minutes (6:35). So, we shifted everybody around last game, so it’s not a major adjustment. The nice thing is we’ll at least have four lines of guys; last game [Hintz] left early, and then (Craig) Smith left for part of the game, so we were down to 10 forwards for the middle portions of that game. Tonight will be a luxury to have 12 guys.”
Dallas leads the best-of-7 series 3-1.
Stars defenseman Chris Tanev will play after he logged his last shift in Game 4 with just under four minutes remaining in the third.
Tanev has one assist, leads Dallas with 41 blocked shots, and is fourth on the team averaging 23:12 of ice time per game. -- Tracey Myers
Colorado Avalanche
Devon Toews participated in the morning skate Wednesday and will play against the Stars in Game 5 of the Western Conference Second Round (8 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN, TVAS).
The Avalanche trail the best-of-7 series 3-1.
The defenseman missed a 5-1 loss in Game 4 on Monday due to illness, which coach Jared Bednar said is not related to the hit Toews took from Jamie Benn in Game 1 of the series.
Toews, part of the top defense pair with Cale Makar, has six points (one goal, five assists) in eight playoff games and is averaging 23:46 of ice time per game, second on the team to Makar (25:46).
“He’s one of the best defensemen in the League all-around,” Avalanche forward Jonathan Drouin said of Toews. “Definitely hurt us last game not having him. He’s a great addition to our team.” -- Tracey Myers
Boston Bruins
Brad Marchand remains day to day with an upper-body injury and is questionable for Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Second Round against the Florida Panthers on Friday.
The Bruins captain exited before the third period of Game 3 on May 10 following a hit by Panthers center Sam Bennett. He missed Game 4 on Sunday, a 3-2 loss, and a 2-1 win in Game 5 at Florida on Tuesday that extended Boston’s season.
Marchand participated in the morning skate Tuesday but remained unavailable.
The Bruins trail 3-2 in the best-of-7 series.
“We just got back, so we’ll know more probably tomorrow,” Boston coach Jim Montgomery said Wednesday. “We’ve got a lot of time here, a couple of days.”
Marchand has 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in 10 games this postseason, sharing the team lead with forward Jake DeBrusk (five goals, five assists in 12 games).
“Having him around is awesome in any capacity,” Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy said after the win Tuesday. “His presence for us means a lot.” -- Joe Pohoryles
Carolina Hurricanes
Brett Pesce participated in practice Wednesday for the first time since sustaining a lower-body injury April 22.
The Hurricanes defenseman skated on the fourth pair with rookie Dylan Coghlan but won’t play in Game 6 at PNC Arena on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TNT, SNO, SNE, SN360, TVAS, CBC).
Carolina trails 3-2 in the best-of-7 series.
“Yeah, it was good to see him out there for the first time,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “I don’t think his status has changed.”
The 29-year-old hadn’t skated with the team since his injury, sustained in Game 2 of the first round against the New York Islanders.
Pesce had 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) in 70 regular-season games and one assist in two playoff games. Tony DeAngelo has played in his place for the past eight games. -- Shawn P. Roarke
New York Rangers
Chris Kreider didn't participate in a full team practice Wednesday.
When asked if it was a regular maintenance day, Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said, “I'm hoping this is just normal playoff maintenance."
New York, which has seen its 3-0 lead in the best-of-7 series trimmed to 3-2, will try again Thursday to close out the Hurricanes in Game 6 at PNC Arena (7 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TNT, SNO, SNE, SN360, TVAS, CBC).
Kreider played 26 shifts totaling 18:51 of ice time, including nine and 7:21 in the third period of Game 5, a 4-1 loss on Monday. He has seven points (four goals, three assists) in nine games this postseason.
Rangers forward Blake Wheeler took Kreider's spot on the top line with Mika Zibanejad and Jack Roslovic, and he was also in his spot in front of the net on the first power-play unit.
Wheeler, though, is not expected to be ready to play Thursday. He is working his way back from a lower-body injury he sustained Feb. 15. Wednesday was his second time on the ice in a full-team setting since he was medically cleared for contact, with the first coming at the morning skate Monday.
"Blake Wheeler has just returned into a jersey and we are working to get him up to speed and that's where he's at right now," Laviolette said Tuesday. "He's full-go at practice, but he's just recently gotten to this point so we want to make sure he's in a position for success."
Filip Chytil was also on the ice Wednesday, but Laviolette wouldn't indicate if he is healthy and an option to play Thursday. Chytil played Game 3, his first since Nov. 2 when he sustained an upper-body injury. He did not play Game 4 because of an illness, then was on the ice for the morning skate Monday but did not play Game 5.
Chytil did not skate on a regular line Wednesday.
"Everybody that was out on the ice is cleared today, and then we'll make decisions based on where players are at," Laviolette said. "We have a few players out there like that, where they're at physically, and we'll make decisions. There's no restrictions on anybody out there." -- Dan Rosen
