Blackhawks coach Darryl Sutter is getting itchy. He wants the minor-league line of Sergei Krivokrasov, Jeff Shantz and Steve Dubinsky recalled from Indianapolis when the Hawks return home next week after ending their nine-game trip Monday in Calgary.
“I sure hope `Krivo’ plays well for `Pully’ tonight,” he said.
Sutter was well aware that General Manager Bob Pulford was watching the Ice play the Central Red Army Thursday night in Indy.
“With 30 games left before the playoffs, it looks like we’re going to be a club that’s a little over .500,” Sutter said of his 25-23-6 team. “I think we could use the energy that young players bring. I remember seeing it when Steve Larmer and Steve Ludzik came up in the early 1980s, and we need that now.”
Just don’t ask Sutter how he will use the line of Krivokrasov, Shantz and Dubinsky if he gets them, and what three forwards get benched from the present lineup. “I don’t know,” he replied to those questions.
Some advice: Sutter said Oilers coach-GM manager Glen Sather advised him when the Hawks were in Edmonton on this trip to leave Krivokrasov in the minors for two years to mature and allow the Siberian time to adapt to the American lifestyle.
“But you can’t do that if you don’t have goal scorers,” Sutter said. “We’ve got to get some goals somewhere.”
Limping on: Christian Ruuttu may miss Friday’s game against San Jose after suffering a charley horse in Wednesday’s 4-2 loss in Los Angeles. He would be replaced in the lineup by center Kevin Todd.
Revenge: Sutter vowed the Hawks will seek revenge on Kings defenseman Alexei Zhitnik for sticking out his leg and tripping Jeremy Roenick Wednesday. Referee Richard Trottier was looking at the play but made no call, telling Roenick he saw nothing.