Hurricanes avoid major injury for DeAngelo and close in on getting Pesce back for Rangers series

The Carolina Hurricanes have avoided a major injury concern for defenseman Tony DeAngelo while veteran blue-liner Brett Pesce is nearing a return from a lower-body injury suffered in the second game of the NHL playoffs.

Team president and general manager Don Waddell said Wednesday that Pesce has shed a walking boot and is doing work to return and should play at some point in the second-round series against the Presidents’ Trophy-winning New York Rangers.

“If everything goes as expected, he shall play games this round,” Waddell said in a Zoom call with reporters. “Maybe not right off the start, but will play games in this round.”

Pesce came up hobbled in a non-contact situation in Game 2 of the first-round series win against the New York Islanders and didn’t play again. DeAngelo took Pesce’s spot opposite Brady Skjei on Carolina’s deep blue line, only to exit late from Tuesday’s Game 5 clincher after taking an uncalled slash to the arm from Pierre Engvall near the boards.