After the Blackhawks gave their worst effort of the season Sunday in a 5-1 trouncing at home by the last-place Colorado Avalanche, it was no surprise coach Joel Quenneville put them through an extraordinarily hard practice Tuesday for this late in the season.
Attendance at the workout was more noteworthy. Winger Martin Havlat sat out but might play tonight against the Carolina Hurricanes, and goalie Nikolai Khabibulin trained with the full squad for the first time since going down with a groin injury Feb. 11 at Atlanta.Khabibulin looked ready to play, but Quenneville said Cristobal Huet -- who became a father Monday -- would start in goal against the Hurricanes. Huet's wife, Corinne, gave birth to son Ayden on the Hawks' day off.
Rookie Antti Niemi, who had been Huet's backup while Khabibulin was out and was in goal against the Avalanche, also was on the ice Tuesday, but he appears headed back to Rockford.
''It was nice to see Khabby in practice,'' Quenneville said. ''He looked pretty good, and he's been progressing well. We'll talk [today] about exactly when he'll play, but he's close.''
While the Hawks continued to follow the NHL's new policy of not disclosing injury specifics, it appears that Havlat's wasn't too bad. He left the game Sunday early in the second period after blocking a shot, suggesting he has a deep bruise.
''He's day-to-day,'' Quenneville said. ''He felt much better today than when he left that game.''
Asked if there was a possibility Havlat, who has played in all 64 games this season, could play tonight, Quenneville answered, ''I would say yes.''
Also missing Tuesday were wingers Andrew Ladd and Patrick Sharp and recently acquired center Samuel Pahlsson. No reason was given for the absence of Ladd, who also has played all 64 games, and Quenneville expected him to be available tonight.
But with Havlat and Ladd both ailing, the Hawks called up Tim Brent from Rockford for the second time. He'll be in the lineup if either Havlat or Ladd can't play.
There's no chance that Sharp (knee) or Pahlsson (mononucleosis) will play tonight, but Quenneville said both could be skating with the team before the week is out.
Those players who did practice paid the price for their performance Sunday.
''That didn't even closely resemble the way we've played all year,'' Quenneville said. ''It was disturbing because we didn't see it coming. Sometimes you have to practice like that, whether you get their attention or not.''
The session -- particularly an intense one-on-one combat drill -- got the Hawks' attention.
''The way [Quenneville] screamed at us after the first period against Colorado, that was a wake-up call,'' winger Adam Burish said. ''We didn't have our edge. We didn't compete like we should have.''
Attendance at the workout was more noteworthy. Winger Martin Havlat sat out but might play tonight against the Carolina Hurricanes, and goalie Nikolai Khabibulin trained with the full squad for the first time since going down with a groin injury Feb. 11 at Atlanta.Khabibulin looked ready to play, but Quenneville said Cristobal Huet -- who became a father Monday -- would start in goal against the Hurricanes. Huet's wife, Corinne, gave birth to son Ayden on the Hawks' day off.
Rookie Antti Niemi, who had been Huet's backup while Khabibulin was out and was in goal against the Avalanche, also was on the ice Tuesday, but he appears headed back to Rockford.
''It was nice to see Khabby in practice,'' Quenneville said. ''He looked pretty good, and he's been progressing well. We'll talk [today] about exactly when he'll play, but he's close.''
While the Hawks continued to follow the NHL's new policy of not disclosing injury specifics, it appears that Havlat's wasn't too bad. He left the game Sunday early in the second period after blocking a shot, suggesting he has a deep bruise.
''He's day-to-day,'' Quenneville said. ''He felt much better today than when he left that game.''
Asked if there was a possibility Havlat, who has played in all 64 games this season, could play tonight, Quenneville answered, ''I would say yes.''
Also missing Tuesday were wingers Andrew Ladd and Patrick Sharp and recently acquired center Samuel Pahlsson. No reason was given for the absence of Ladd, who also has played all 64 games, and Quenneville expected him to be available tonight.
But with Havlat and Ladd both ailing, the Hawks called up Tim Brent from Rockford for the second time. He'll be in the lineup if either Havlat or Ladd can't play.
There's no chance that Sharp (knee) or Pahlsson (mononucleosis) will play tonight, but Quenneville said both could be skating with the team before the week is out.
Those players who did practice paid the price for their performance Sunday.
''That didn't even closely resemble the way we've played all year,'' Quenneville said. ''It was disturbing because we didn't see it coming. Sometimes you have to practice like that, whether you get their attention or not.''
The session -- particularly an intense one-on-one combat drill -- got the Hawks' attention.
''The way [Quenneville] screamed at us after the first period against Colorado, that was a wake-up call,'' winger Adam Burish said. ''We didn't have our edge. We didn't compete like we should have.''
