Carolina Hurricanes goalie Petr Mrazek is not expected to be on the ice for Game 4 his team's second round series against the New York Islanders Friday night. 

Mrazek left Game 2 of the series early with a lower-body injury and has yet to practice with the team since.

"When he's 100 percent we will get him back in there," Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour said Thursday per NHL.com. "But until then you can't. There's no point."

Curtis McElhinney has filled the void nicely winning both Games 2 and 3 in Mrazek’s absence.

He made 17 saves in relief in Game 2 to earn the win and 28 saves in Carolina’s Game 3 win carrying a 1.28 GAA with a .957 save percentage in two postseason games.

At age 35 years, 343 days, he became the oldest goalie to make his first start in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, passing Les Binkley of the Pittsburgh Penguins (age 35 years, 306 days) in Game 1 of the 1970 NHL Quarter-finals.

Alex Nedeljkovic was called up from Charlotte of the American Hockey League on Monday and will stay with the team as the backup.

Mrazek skated Thursday morning but that’s no indication of when he will return to the crease. 

"We can't rush a goalie back," Brind'Amour said. "He can't play with an injury. There's a difference with a goalie, I think. [Skaters] can kind of baby it a little, hide it. A goalie can't. He has to be 100 per cent in order to feel good about making his moves and exploding."