Hurricanes get Gostisbehere back against Vegas, then lose him early again to extend injury woes

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes’ injury trouble following a lengthy road trip worsened in their return home.

Coach Rod Brind’Amour said defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere left Tuesday’s 6-3 loss to Vegas with an apparent injury to his midsection, coming after he had been activated from injured reserve following a lower-body injury that had cost him the previous three-plus games.

“He felt something in I think it was his midsection area,” Brind’Amour said. “He had to come out. So that was tough.”

Gostisbehere, who works on Carolina’s top power-play unit, saw 7:19 of ice time in the first period but didn’t return for the second. It continued a rough two weeks for the perennial Eastern Conference contender on the injury front, with the troubles particularly acute on the blue line.

Carolina hasn’t had top defenseman Jaccob Slavin since his early exit against Philadelphia on Oct. 11. Gostisbehere saw just 4:06 of ice time before exiting an Oct. 18 win at Los Angeles, while offseason acquisition K’Andre Miller was a late scratch with a lower-body injury before last week’s win at Colorado.

Carolina also lost forwards Eric Robinson and William Carrier to injuries during its 4-2-0 road trip.

That has pressed younger and unproven talent into the lineup, including rookie defensemen Joel Nystrom and Domenick Fensore. Nystrom even missed time Tuesday when he took a puck to the mouth in the second period, which had him skating to the bench with a bloody towel and leaving Carolina with just four defensemen until into the third period.

As a result, veteran Jalen Chatfield had a career-high 25:45 of ice time — more than two minutes higher than his previous high mark for a regular-season game — while rising prospect Alexander Nikishin played 27:33.

Carolina led 3-2 early in the third before Vegas closed with four unanswered goals, with Jack Eichel corralling a turnover for a breakaway and the go-ahead score with 4:59 left.

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