With his team down 2-0 again, New Jersey Devils coach Lindy Ruff is shaking things up in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Goaltender Vitek Vanecek probably will return to the starting lineup Sunday afternoon for the first time since being replaced by Akira Schmid after losing the first two games of the first-round series against the rival New York Rangers.

That’s just one move. The real surprise is the insertion of 19-year-old defenseman Luke Hughes into a lineup that is led by his 21-year-old brother and budding superstar, Jack.

Luke Hughes is going to replace defenseman Ryan Graves, who sustained an upper body injury in Game 2 on Friday night.

“If I get the opportunity I am very prepared and very ready,” Luke Hughes said after staying late after practice ended to work Saturday with the power-play unit.

If he had been told he was playing, he didn’t let anyone know.

Ruff, who usually does not disclose lineup changes the day before the game, was surprisingly open. He said Luke Hughes is going to play and there is a possibility that Vanecek will return. Ruff’s voice clearly indicated his No. 1 goaltender was more than a possibility.

Jack Hughes was looking forward to playing with his brother in the playoffs

“He’ll be a guy that can move the puck in and out of the zone and get us moving fast,” Jack Hughes said of his brother.

“We know he is going to skate,” Ruff added. “He got a little taste at the end of the year. I really feel his skating will help us, so I am excited to see him get in and play.”

While Luke Hughes clearly has talent and skating ability, he is a novice in the NHL. He signed with the Devils on Apr. 8 after Michigan lost in the semifinals of the Frozen Four. New York’s top draft pick in 2021 (No. 4 overall) played in the final two games of the regular season, scoring the game-winning goal in overtime of the finale against Washington.

Schmid also was somewhat untested when he was thrown into the lineup in Game 3 against the Rangers. He had appeared in 24 regular season games over the past two seasons with New Jersey, splitting both seasons between the parent club and its top farm team at Utica (AHL).

All the 22-year-old netminder did over the rest of the series was post a 4-1 record, allowing two goals in his wins and recording two shutouts, including one in the deciding game 7 at the Prudential Center.

Vanecek had struggled in the first two games against the Rangers, who outscored New Jersey 10-2.

Rangers, Gallant part ways

The New York Rangers and coach Gerard Gallant are parting ways after losing in the first round of the NHL playoffs.

The Rangers announced the change, which they called mutual, on Saturday — less than a week after a seven-game series loss to the rival New Jersey Devils.

“I have a ton of respect for Gerard as both a coach and person and truly appreciate everything he did for us on and off the ice these last two seasons,” general manager Chris Drury said in a statement. “After my evaluation of the season and discussions with Gerard, we mutually came to the conclusion that a change would be beneficial for both parties. I wish he and his family all the best in the future. Our search for a new head coach will begin right away.”

Gallant led New York to the Eastern Conference final in 2022 in his first season with the team and was a finalist for the Jack Adams Trophy as coach of the year. He has not lasted three full seasons in any of his five head jobs around the league.

In a statement sent through the team, Gallant thanked owner James Dolan and Drury for the opportunity.

“The experience of coaching an Original Six franchise with such rich history and an incredibly passionate fanbase is something I will never forget,” Gallant said. “After conversations with my family and Chris, it became clear that this was the right decision for both myself and the Rangers at this time.”

Gallant’s departure was not particularly surprising, but it came after the 59-year-old defended his job status during exit interviews earlier in the week, calling the line of questioning “disappointing.”

“I can’t believe I have to answer some of these questions about me getting let go or getting fired, brought up by the media,” Gallant said Wednesday. “If I can’t stand by my record and what I’ve done, I think there’s something wrong.”

The Rangers now begin another coaching search in hopes of finding the person who will get them their first Stanley Cup title since 1994. Three-time championship-winning coach Joel Quenneville’s name has already been connected to the franchise, though he would need to be reinstated by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman after his role in a sexual assault scandal with the Chicago Blackhawks from 2010 that caused him to resign from his job with the Florida Panthers in October 2021.

McCann not ready to return yet for Kraken

The Seattle Kraken welcomed leading scorer Jared McCann back to practice on Saturday, but coach Dave Hakstol doesn’t expect the forward to be available for Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinal series against Dallas on Sunday.

McCann has been out since getting hurt early in Game 4 of Seattle’s opening-round series against Colorado on a hit from Cale Makar that drew a one-game suspension.

Hakstol said McCann skated a couple of times while the team was in Dallas for the first two games against the Stars. But Saturday’s optional skate with McCann in a red no-contact jersey was his first stint back with his teammates.

“We’ll just keep progressing. I don’t really have an update other than the fact that he’s on the ice and he’s able to be out there with the optional skate today, which is a really good step for him,” Hakstol said. “We’ll just continue progressing. Nothing imminent in terms of return.”