Teravainen expected back for Hurricanes in Eastern Conference Final

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Teuvo Teravainen is expected to return to the Carolina Hurricanes for the Eastern Conference Final against the Florida Panthers.

Teravainen had surgery April 20 after the forward broke his left hand during the third period of Carolina's 4-3 overtime win against the New York Islanders in Game 2 of the first round on April 19.

"It's pretty good, not bad," Teravainen said Monday. "I think I'm pretty much ready to go, so whenever the coach puts me out there, I'll be good."

The Hurricanes will host Games 1 and 2 of the best-of-7 series, but the start date has not been determined.

The 28-year-old practiced Monday wearing a regular jersey and rotated onto different forward lines. He did not participate in drills with the power play.

"He's good to go. He's healthy enough," Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour said. "It's just whether or not he can play. With that injury, you can probably feel good, but you've got to be able to shoot. I know he's not going to be 100 percent. We've got another day or two. He needs the time, so that will help him."

Teravainen sustained the injury when his glove was hit in the hand by the stick of Islanders center Jean-Gabriel Pageau while taking a shot from the top of the left face-off circle.

"It's kind of crazy, I thought for sure I was done (for the season)," Teravainen said. "But the doctors did a pretty good job. Looks like I'm getting back pretty soon."

Teravainen had 37 points (12 goals, 25 assists) in 68 regular-season games. He has 32 points (16 goals, 16 assists) in 50 Stanley Cup Playoff games with Carolina.

"It's good to see the boys have done a really good job playing really good hockey," Teravainen said. "It's tough to watch the game from the outside. You always want to be helping, but they've done a really good job."

Without Teravainen as well as forwards Andrei Svechnikov (torn ACL) and Max Pacioretty (torn Achilles), the Hurricanes have gotten contributions from other places during the postseason. That includes 10 points (three goals, seven assists) from Jordan Martinook in Carolina's five-game series win against the New Jersey Devils in the second round.

"If he finds a way back in, we're going to be happy to have him," Martinook said. "Just the way he can play and kind of slow things down, it's fun to watch. Hopefully he can get back out there."

Brind'Amour did not put a timetable on when Teravainen could return against the Panthers.

"I don't want him to be out there and not be effective. That won't help," he said. "We've been pretty good with what we've got. We haven't used him in this last series. Our guys have stepped up. If he's healthy enough to play, he'll get in there."