Veteran forward Nikolaj Ehlers, 30, hampered by a lower-body injury in the Carolina Hurricanes' first-round sweep of the Ottawa Senators, returned on Saturday, when his club hosted the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Ehlers and Nikishin return to practice, signaling a boost for the Hurricanes' lineup for Game 1 against the Flyers.

Just in time, they did so with (nearly) their full cast of skaters for the first time this week; Nikolaj Ehlers rejoined the group on the ice for the first time since missing Game 4 in Ottawa, while Alexander Nikishin logged his second practice since sustaining a concussion during last Saturday's tilt.

BOTTOM LINE: The Carolina Hurricanes host the Philadelphia Flyers to begin the Eastern Conference second round. The teams meet Monday for the fifth time this season. The Hurricanes went 3-1 against the Flyers during the regular season. In their last regular season meeting on April 13, the Flyers won 3-2 in a shootout.

The Eastern Conference’s top seed closed out a first-round sweep of Ottawa.

While awaiting the start of Round 2, Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour has provided key health updates on a pair of players.

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Nikolaj Ehlers and Alexander Nikishin could be available for the Carolina Hurricanes at the start of the Eastern Conference Second Round. “I’m hopeful that both guys will be ready by the looks of it,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said after neither practiced Tuesday.

MORRISVILLE, N.C. (AP) — The mission has long been the same for the Carolina Hurricanes in building a perennial playoff contender around a collective effort to wear down opponents with an aggressive forecheck and pressing the attack.

Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour is hopeful that winger Nikolaj Ehlers and defenseman Alexander Nikishin will be ready for Round 2 of the NHL playoffs with extra time off to recover