Tomas Holmstrom just arrived at Mellon Arena here in Pittsburgh for the Red Wings' Friday afternoon practice, but he is here to get treatment, not go on the ice.He was limping slightly with his right leg, but not as bad as when he left after Game 3 Wednesday.
Asked if he'd play tomorrow, Holmstrom said he hoped to be able to do so. Naturally his coach is hoping the same thing.
"We think he'll be fine," Mike Babcock said. "He's a tough guy."
Holmstrom hurt his hamstring late in Game 3's 3-2 loss when 6-foot-7, 250-pound Pittsburgh defenseman Hal Gill dumped Holmstrom on his back, and Holmstrom slid into Pittsburgh's goal. Holmstrom winced as he got up, and didn't play another shift. He limped out of the building, but because of the way he plays, that happens pretty much after every game. In fact, his halting gait is so ubiquitous teammates have nicknamed it "Homer's pimp walk."
Asked Friday morning about Holmstrom possibly being out for Game 4, Pittsburgh coach Michel Therrien gave a pat answer.
"They still have a lot of quality players," he said. "And it's not going to change anything for us. It might change something for them, but for us our focus will remain the same."
If Holmstrom can't play, Darren McCarty probably will go back in, and McCarty certainly isn't going to be as big a factor as Holmstrom is in front of the net or retrieving pucks.
Asked if he'd play tomorrow, Holmstrom said he hoped to be able to do so. Naturally his coach is hoping the same thing.
"We think he'll be fine," Mike Babcock said. "He's a tough guy."
Holmstrom hurt his hamstring late in Game 3's 3-2 loss when 6-foot-7, 250-pound Pittsburgh defenseman Hal Gill dumped Holmstrom on his back, and Holmstrom slid into Pittsburgh's goal. Holmstrom winced as he got up, and didn't play another shift. He limped out of the building, but because of the way he plays, that happens pretty much after every game. In fact, his halting gait is so ubiquitous teammates have nicknamed it "Homer's pimp walk."
Asked Friday morning about Holmstrom possibly being out for Game 4, Pittsburgh coach Michel Therrien gave a pat answer.
"They still have a lot of quality players," he said. "And it's not going to change anything for us. It might change something for them, but for us our focus will remain the same."
If Holmstrom can't play, Darren McCarty probably will go back in, and McCarty certainly isn't going to be as big a factor as Holmstrom is in front of the net or retrieving pucks.
