Carolina Hurricanes lose key player for what could be an extended time

The Stanley Cup is the toughest trophy to win in all of pro sports. It takes 16 wins to capture the most elusive trophy in all of pro sports. A run through the playoffs will often test a team's depth with injuries piling up as the physicality increases.

Over the course of a playoff series, teams will face different challenges, making it all that much more important to try and eliminate an opponent early. Extending series to seven games will often result in additional challenges and the lack of rest can ultimately be a team's undoing. For the Carolina, Hurricanes rest appears to become all that much more important after the team suffered a significant loss after game two.

The Hurricanes currently hold a 2-0 series lead over the New York Islanders. With the Hurricanes heading on the road, they will now be doing so without veteran defender Brett Pesce. Pesce suffered what is being labeled a non-contact injury. Something fans never like to see.

Reports today, surfaced stating that Pesce could miss significant time with the injury.




If Carolina is able to send the Islanders home sooner rather than later, it would get the team some much-needed rest and additional reps at practice with some of their depth players. Especially against a team like the New York Islanders, it is extremely important to avoid their physical play as much as possible.

Hopefully Pesce can make a full recovery in time to help his team this year. However, non-contact injuries are always difficult to predict.