Blackhawks defenseman Gary Suter says he knows he would run a risk of refracturing his right hand by playing in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Western Conference finals Sunday, but he intends to try to play anyway.
“I watched and it drove me crazy,” said Suter, who did not play after getting back into action in the previous game for the first time since breaking his hand in Game 3 of the Vancouver series.
Suter again denied that he had rebroken his hand in Tuesday night’s game. “That is one of the fears,” he said, “but it didn’t happen. There is a risk there, but it’s something I’m willing to live with.”
Suter said he didn’t think he would play against the Red Wings in Game 3, but “after playing with the kids in the afternoon I came down and they made some adjustments on the cast and cut a few pieces. I didn’t decide to play until about two minutes before the warmup.”
He said the hand didn’t bother him during the game but “taking a shot or trying to receive a pass on the backhand I had no strength. I tried to do real simple things and play defense.”
He didn’t play Thursday, he said, because the hand was sore. “I just wanted to let it settle down,” he said. “Hopefully I’ll try to play . Chances are pretty good I will play.”
Unfriendly skies: The Hawks’ charter flight to Detroit was canceled just two hours before the scheduled departure Saturday and after most of the players had already left the United Center.
Traveling secretary Phil Thibodeau had to scramble to get them on a United Airlines flight that was supposed to leave 15 minutes earlier than the charter. On arrival at the charter gate, the players were redirected to the United flight.
The commercial plane had enough empty seats to accommodate the team, but its departure was delayed a half-hour because of some late-arriving players.