The Blackhawks and Red Wings were both nursing bruises Friday as they awaited Sunday’s Game 5 in their Western Conference finals. The Hawks’ Jeremy Roenick said his left knee was still sore after he twisted it in the first period Thursday night.
It’s the same knee that he injured against Dallas on April 2, but neither Roenick nor coach Darryl Sutter thinks the injury is significant. There was no swelling Friday.
“He’s fine,” Sutter said. “He went off with two minutes left in the first period, and told me he was going to put some ice on it. It was 3-0 at that point, and I told the trainers just to keep him in there. If it had been close, he’d have been back.”
Sutter also denied reports that defenseman Gary Suter had refractured his right hand playing in Tuesday night’s Game 3. While Suter did not play Thursday night, Sutter insisted: “It’s totally untrue. His hand was sore from playing the game, but he certainly did not refracture it.” Sutter said that Suter’s availability for Game 5 would be determined at game time.
Meanwhile, reports out of Detroit indicate that Sergei Fedorov is doubtful for Sunday’s game because of a slightly separated left shoulder, the result of a brutal hit by Gerald Diduck early in overtime Tuesday night. Last year’s Hart Trophy winner missed Thursday’s game because of the injury.
“Not having Fedorov in their lineup makes a big difference on the power play,” Sutter said.
“Obviously, Fedorov was a big loss to them,” Chris Chelios said.
The Wings did get Steve Yzerman back, but “no way can he be 100 percent,” Chelios said. “Maybe his knee can be, but there’s no way his conditioning can be. I’m sure he’ll get better as the series goes on.”
Kudos for Carney: A big reason the Hawks didn’t miss Suter more than they did was the play of Keith Carney, who is opening some eyes as he gets the opportunity to play. Like Suter, Carney moves the puck well, although he probably does not have as accurate a shot.
“When you play on a team that has quality defensemen,” Sutter observed, “there’s a fine line between your fifth, sixth and seventh defensemen.
“You have to have other types of players in there. That’s why guys like Smythe, Diduck and Cam Russell can play ahead of Carney. It doesn’t mean he’s not better than some of them, but for the mix of the club, they have to be in there.”
“Carns played great,” Chelios said. “He stepped in there for the first time, and to do that in a game like this . . . Game-wise he’s young, but he’s a veteran and he’s playing very well.”
TV update: Hawks fans will get to see Sunday’s game on WFLD-Ch. 32. Originally, the game was scheduled to be telecast only on ESPN2, but the local Fox affiliate was given the go-ahead to screen the game, which begins at 7 p.m. Chicago time.