Niklas Backstrom is feeling real good and the plan is for Backstrom to make his first start since Dec. 31 tomorrow night in Calgary in the second of a back-to-back. Backstrom had a hip injury.
Theodore, also out with a hip injury, confirmed I saw correctly in Boston. He hurt his hip on a third-period save before a TV timeout in Boston, felt it a little in his shutout in Pittsburgh, but wanted to play against Dallas. He said he felt OK, then really felt sore during the morning skate in Nashville. He said he should have spoke up then but didn't want to put the team in a bad position. In hindsight, he said he should have not played because he felt he hurt the team with his lack of sharpness.
Theodore pushed it a little more today, is feeling better but said he needs one real good practice still. He'll push it a little more tomorrow in Calgary at the, I'm sure, optional morning skate. Thursday is a travel day only to San Jose, so his first real practice will come Friday in San Jose.
Russo also mentioned more about Khudobin's unorthodox style:
Lots more talk this morning about Khudobin's unorthodox style. That'll be the notebook lead in tomorrow's paper. Goalie coach Bob Mason is working on Khudobin being quieter in net, but hey, Khudobin basically taught himself the position. He was a defenseman until age 10, so not a shocker that he looks a bit different than most goalies. But Dominik Hasek was a bit unorthodox, and as Jose Theodore was telling me today, so's Tim Thomas.
After giving up 4 goals in Dallas and hurting in the morning skate in Nashville, he still didn't say anything?!? /facepalm and headshake
ReplyDeleteI guess it baffles me after watching the Caps, where goalies can be changed after tweaking something in practice, or ask for the relief to come in *during* games.