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player ready...Everett Sanipass returned from the minors to score a goal in Sunday`s game with Detroit. Mike Eagles, the other Blackhawks` recall, almost followed in Sanipass` footsteps.
He had Detroit goalie Glen Hanlon out of the crease and was trying to sweep the puck past him to score what would have been a goal that tied the score 4-4 midway through the third period. Instead, Eagles never got off as hard a shot as he wanted.
”It was a half shot that didn`t have the steam,” he said of a puck that fell inches short of the goal line in the crease.
– If you forget about referee Paul Stewart`s suspicious decision-making, you are left to wonder what`s the problem with the Hawks` power play. It is 1 for 17 in the last four games.
”We`ve got to execute on the power play and we`re not,” defenseman Doug Wilson said. ”There`s no way this team shouldn`t be able to score goals. I`m grasping to explain why. Whether it`s concentration or not going to the net.” – Keenan abruptly ended Saturday`s practice, upset at what he was seeing from his team. ”He was making a point and we understood it,” Wilson said. ”It didn`t have a negative effect.”
But Mike Hudson noted the team`s early dismissal at practice could be seen in players` pregame attitudes Sunday. ”Everyone was tense. It was like before the seventh game of the Stanley Cup. We`ve got to loosen up.”
Added Greg Gilbert: ”There`s a tenseness in the air. Twenty guys have to take the bull by the horns now, not one or two.”
Team captain Dirk Graham said: ”The leaders have to come to the forefront and straighten this out.”
– Joey Kocur`s obscene gesture to the Stadium fans as he left the ice in the first period after being given a 10-minute misconduct penalty should be investigated by the National Hockey League, Keenan said.
”That was uncalled for,” he said, ”and never addressed by the officiating.”
– Sanipass and Eagles played well enough Sunday to warrant more time in games, and so Keenan`s lineup for Wednesday`s game with Toronto should be interesting. Sunday, Keenan sat out Jeremy Roenick, Wayne Presley, Al Secord and Bob Murray.