When his team hits a skid, Mike Keenan invariably goes to the minors for help. The Blackhawks` coach and general manager followed that formula by recalling wings Mike Peluso and Shawn Byram and playing them Sunday night against Minnesota.
But he also was addressing an injury situation. Wing Greg Gilbert cut his elbow in Saturday`s 4-3 loss at Minnesota and had to sit out.
Unfortunately for Keenan, the Indianapolis Ice doesn`t have much depth. Peluso is a well-known commodity, having played with the Hawks extensively. After beginning the season in the National Hockey League, he was sent down Oct. 15 and had one assist in four games, as well as eight penalty minutes, in the International League.
Byram made his Hawks debut Sunday. Signed by the club last August as a free agent, he had six points (two goals) in nine Indy games, along with 16 penalty minutes.
Message time: Keenan was disappointed in the way Ed Belfour played Saturday in his season debut. That`s why he switched to Jimmy Waite Sunday.
”It`s obvious you can`t miss a month of the season and expect to be in game shape,” Keenan said.
Keenan added that goaltending coach Vladislav Tretiak would be in Chicago Tuesday to work with the goalies.
An NHL education: Karl Dykhuis has learned quickly that NHL players are more slippery than those he had faced. The rookie defenseman explained what happened to him when Minnesota`s Brian Bellows and Dave Gagner broke free of him Saturday night to score goals.
”The players here stay with you and pretend you got them,” he said.
”Then they burst open when the puck gets there. I thought I had both of them with my stick, but they got away.”
Keenan scratched Dykhuis Sunday and went with Marchment.
Charity skate: Fans who pay $12.50 can skate with the Hawks Monday night from 7 to 9 p.m. at Robert Crown Ice Center in Evanston. The proceeds go to Blackhawk Charities.