"Luke Hughes and Brenden Dillon Absent for Game 2 Against the Hurricanes"
The Carolina Hurricanes will face off against the New Jersey Devils in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference first-round series in Raleigh, N.C., but defensemen Luke Hughes and Brenden Dillon will not be on the ice.
Coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed that both players will not be playing after missing the morning skate on Tuesday.
Hughes and Dillon sustained undisclosed injuries during the Devils' 4-1 loss to the Hurricanes in Game 1 on Sunday. Dillon left the game in the second period while Hughes was injured in the third.
\"We'll have to assess their injuries when we get back to Jersey, but they will not be playing tonight,\" Keefe stated on Tuesday.
Hughes, 21, had an impressive 44 points (7 goals, 37 assists) in 71 games this season.
Dillon, 34, also had a solid season, recording 16 points (2 goals, 14 assists) while playing in all 82 games.
In their absence, Simon Nemec (No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft) and Dennis Cholowski are expected to step up and play.
Forward Cody Glass is also expected to play after being accidentally hit in the legs by his teammate, goaltender Jacob Markstrom, in Game 1's third period.
