Vancouver Canuck defenceman Sami Salo took the morning skate today, moved gingerly around the ice and put barely any force into the shots he took during drills.
So is Sami in or, is Sami out, for tonight's crucial Game 6 as the Canucks again face elimination at the hands of the Chicago Blackhawks? Salo was injured Sunday late in the first period of Game 5 when a Duncan Keith slapper struck him in the groin area.
"Game-time decision," announced Canuck head coach Alain Vigneault, giving the predictable answer when queried about Salo's availability. "We don't discuss injuries at this time of year. It's an injury, day-to-day."
Vigneault's session with reporters then delved into the humourous when asked about the possibility of the Blackhawks "attacking" Salo's sore area if indeed he does dress.
"We can't talk about Salo's injury," repeated Vigneault. "We haven't said what exactly it is and they wouldn't know where to go."
As the words "wouldn't know where to go" escaped his lips, the Canuck coach burst into gales of laughter. In any case, Lawrence Nycholat is ready in the bullpen and will take the 6 p.m. pre-game warmup. There is always the possibility Vigneault could dress seven defencemen.
"We'll see come game time," he said.
Nycholat, a 31-year-old journeyman with no NHL playoff experience, confirmed his appearance is a game-time decision.
"If I'm in, I'll try to do what I can to help the team take the series back to Chicago," he said. "It's definitely exciting. We stay in shape and stay fit just on the off-chance they may need us. That's what we're here for and why we take our training seriously."
The Canucks have been unable to beat the Blackhawks on home ice in this series but they have no choice now. Vigneault isn't concerned about the earlier losses.
"What's on our mind right now is tonight and tonight's game and there's nothing we can do about our past two home games," he said. "I don't know who has pressure. If we want to continue to play, we have to win tonight. It's that simple."
The Blackhawks, needless to say, want to end the series tonight and then head for San Jose and the Western Conference final.
"Obviously you want to get it done but it's easier said than done," noted Blackhawk defenceman Brent Sopel, who broke into the NHL with the Canucks. "You don't want to take it back to Chicago for Game 7 because you're basically leaving it up to chance at that point in time. We did ourselves a favour by getting up 3-1 in the series but, in the last game, we didn't come up with the effort we wanted."
Sopel said he is as mystified as anyone by the home-ice 'disadvantage' in the series. The visitors have won four of five games, including 5-2 and 7-4 victories by Chicago at GM Place.
"I don't know what that situation is," Sopel said with a shrug. "Usually you get screaming fans going crazy for you, it helps you. Whatever it is for us here, we need to keep it going."
Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said he may make "one lineup adjustment" but wouldn't elaborate further.
ICE CHIPS: The Canucks power play in the playoffs is 11-for-48 while Chicago's is 11-for-49... The Canucks' Kevin Bieksa and the Blackhawks' Brent Seabrook have eight points each to lead their respective blueline corps in offence... Alain Vigneault ranks second behind only Pat Quinn in playoff victories as the Canuck coach. Quinn won 31 times, 15 of those coming in 1994.
INJURIES: The Canucks will be without defencemen Willie Mitchell (concussion), Aaron Rome (undisclosed) and Nolan Baumgartner (knee). The Blackhawks will again be missing defenceman Kim Johnsson (concussion).
So is Sami in or, is Sami out, for tonight's crucial Game 6 as the Canucks again face elimination at the hands of the Chicago Blackhawks? Salo was injured Sunday late in the first period of Game 5 when a Duncan Keith slapper struck him in the groin area.
"Game-time decision," announced Canuck head coach Alain Vigneault, giving the predictable answer when queried about Salo's availability. "We don't discuss injuries at this time of year. It's an injury, day-to-day."
Vigneault's session with reporters then delved into the humourous when asked about the possibility of the Blackhawks "attacking" Salo's sore area if indeed he does dress.
"We can't talk about Salo's injury," repeated Vigneault. "We haven't said what exactly it is and they wouldn't know where to go."
As the words "wouldn't know where to go" escaped his lips, the Canuck coach burst into gales of laughter. In any case, Lawrence Nycholat is ready in the bullpen and will take the 6 p.m. pre-game warmup. There is always the possibility Vigneault could dress seven defencemen.
"We'll see come game time," he said.
Nycholat, a 31-year-old journeyman with no NHL playoff experience, confirmed his appearance is a game-time decision.
"If I'm in, I'll try to do what I can to help the team take the series back to Chicago," he said. "It's definitely exciting. We stay in shape and stay fit just on the off-chance they may need us. That's what we're here for and why we take our training seriously."
The Canucks have been unable to beat the Blackhawks on home ice in this series but they have no choice now. Vigneault isn't concerned about the earlier losses.
"What's on our mind right now is tonight and tonight's game and there's nothing we can do about our past two home games," he said. "I don't know who has pressure. If we want to continue to play, we have to win tonight. It's that simple."
The Blackhawks, needless to say, want to end the series tonight and then head for San Jose and the Western Conference final.
"Obviously you want to get it done but it's easier said than done," noted Blackhawk defenceman Brent Sopel, who broke into the NHL with the Canucks. "You don't want to take it back to Chicago for Game 7 because you're basically leaving it up to chance at that point in time. We did ourselves a favour by getting up 3-1 in the series but, in the last game, we didn't come up with the effort we wanted."
Sopel said he is as mystified as anyone by the home-ice 'disadvantage' in the series. The visitors have won four of five games, including 5-2 and 7-4 victories by Chicago at GM Place.
"I don't know what that situation is," Sopel said with a shrug. "Usually you get screaming fans going crazy for you, it helps you. Whatever it is for us here, we need to keep it going."
Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said he may make "one lineup adjustment" but wouldn't elaborate further.
ICE CHIPS: The Canucks power play in the playoffs is 11-for-48 while Chicago's is 11-for-49... The Canucks' Kevin Bieksa and the Blackhawks' Brent Seabrook have eight points each to lead their respective blueline corps in offence... Alain Vigneault ranks second behind only Pat Quinn in playoff victories as the Canuck coach. Quinn won 31 times, 15 of those coming in 1994.
INJURIES: The Canucks will be without defencemen Willie Mitchell (concussion), Aaron Rome (undisclosed) and Nolan Baumgartner (knee). The Blackhawks will again be missing defenceman Kim Johnsson (concussion).
