NEWARK, N.J. -- Defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler returned to the New Jersey Devils' lineup on Friday night for Game 3 of the first-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Siegenthaler had been out since Feb. 4, missing 27 games due to a leg injury. He returns just as fellow defensemen Luke Hughes and Brenden Dillon missed their second straight game after suffering injuries in the series opener Sunday.
The Devils trail the Hurricanes 2-0 in the best-of-seven series after dropping the first two games by a combined 7-2 margin.
"We're tremendously short-handed there," Devils coach Sheldon Keefe said. "(Siegenthaler) will give us reliable minutes. It's a reduced role since he's not where he needs to be if we had more time."
The 6-foot-2, 218-pound Siegenthaler had been expected to miss the remainder of the season, but he began skating several weeks ago and joined the Devils for practice for the first time on Thursday. He also took part in the morning skate on Friday.