RALEIGH Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Justin Faulk is expected to be sidelined at least a week with an upper-body injury, the team announced on Tuesday.Faulk sustained the injury in the front end of a home-and-home series versus the New Jersey Devils on Sunday. The Metropolitan Division rivals conclude that set on Tuesday night.”By the time we get home, we’ll know more,” Carolina coach Bill Peters said, referring to the team’s upcoming five-game home stand that follows Tuesday’s tilt.”I’d say he’s more than day-to-day right now. I’d say week-to-week,” Peters added. “I’d rule him out for this week, so I’d be safe to say that.”Faulk’s absence certainly will not aid in the defensive troubles of the Hurricanes (3-5-3), who have yielded an NHL fourth-worst 3.45 goals per game.Faulk the team’s top option on its No. power play unit has collected three goals and three assists in 11 contests this season. The 24-year-old finished second among NHL defensemen in 2015-16 with 12 power-play tallies.Faulk has recorded 52 goals and 109 assists in 337 career games with the Hurricanes since being selected in the second round of the 2010 draft.
