The Blackhawks practiced in Bensenville on Saturday afternoon and there was plenty of open ice as three key players didn't skate. Forwards Martin Havlat, Dave Bolland and Patrick Kane all missed practice with injuries.
Havlat appeared to re-injure himself at the end of the Friday night's 5-3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets and moved slowly to the locker room after the final whistle. The veteran winger had missed the previous game with a lower-body injury.
Kane had several teeth chipped during a second-period collision with teammate Jonathan Toews. The second-year winger finished the game but didn't practice with teammates Saturday.
Bolland also sat out with what the team called a lower-body injury.
After practice, coach Joel Quenneville said, "Nothing's long [term]. I would say we're hopeful they're all playing [Sunday afternoon against the New York Islanders]."
Quenneville confirmed that veteran Nikolai Khabibulin would be in goal against the Islanders. The veteran hasn't played since Feb. 11 when he suffered a lower-body injury in Atlanta.
"The whole practice I felt pretty good," said Khabibulin, who has dressed as Cristobal Huet's backup the last two games. "You have to start somewhere and [Sunday] is a good day."
Havlat appeared to re-injure himself at the end of the Friday night's 5-3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets and moved slowly to the locker room after the final whistle. The veteran winger had missed the previous game with a lower-body injury.
Kane had several teeth chipped during a second-period collision with teammate Jonathan Toews. The second-year winger finished the game but didn't practice with teammates Saturday.
Bolland also sat out with what the team called a lower-body injury.
After practice, coach Joel Quenneville said, "Nothing's long [term]. I would say we're hopeful they're all playing [Sunday afternoon against the New York Islanders]."
Quenneville confirmed that veteran Nikolai Khabibulin would be in goal against the Islanders. The veteran hasn't played since Feb. 11 when he suffered a lower-body injury in Atlanta.
"The whole practice I felt pretty good," said Khabibulin, who has dressed as Cristobal Huet's backup the last two games. "You have to start somewhere and [Sunday] is a good day."
