Cullen rejoins Canes practice

Canes center Matt Cullen was back on the ice today for the first playoff practice at the RBC Center.

Cullen missed the last eight games of the regular season with a foot injury but did do some skating on his own last week.

"It's good to back out there and get some timing back," Cullen said. "You never know what to expect. Every injury is different in how it reacts and how long it takes you to get back.

"It's been tough sitting and watching but it's good to be back now. Obviously, there's a lot of excitement and I'm just trying to get ready."

Cullen worked on the fourth line with Patrick Eaves and Tim Conboy, with Jussi Jokinen centering the line with Chad LaRose and Ray Whitney. Canes coach Paul Maurice said he would stick with those lines in the playoff opener Wednesday against the New Jersey Devils.

"I don't think right out of the gate that we'll take Jokinen out of that spot," he said. "He's been too good there and we've won a lot of games with him there.

"Putting in a guy coming off a longer-term injury than we had hoped, it's difficult to throw him into that pace right away."

Cullen was playing as well as anyone in the lineup when he took a shot off the foot from the New York Islanders' Mark Streit in the March 20 game at the RBC Center. He played eight minutes the next night against Washington but had to leave the game, then was sidelined.