Top Hurricanes prospect Alexander Nikishin makes his NHL debut in Game 5 at the Capitals
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Alexander Nikishin is making his NHL debut for the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 5 of their second-round playoff series Thursday night at the Washington Capitals.
Nikishin took the pre-warmups solo lap customary for players getting into their first game in the league, skating around helmetless before the rest of the team got onto the ice. The 23-year-old Russian defenseman did line rushes paired with veteran Shayne Gostisbehere.
Jalen Chatfield was not on the ice, ruling him out of playing, after tweaking something late in the Hurricanes' Game 4 victory on Tuesday night that put them up 3-1 in the series. Carolina announced Chatfield was out with an undisclosed injury.
Coach Rod Brind'Amour said Nikishin would only play if Chatfield did not feel up to it after skating earlier in the day.
Nikishin is Carolina's top prospect who left the KHL this spring and signed his first NHL contract last month. SKA Saint Petersburg, mutually terminated his deal in that league to pave the way for Nikishin to go to North America immediately.
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AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
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