The X-rays of Denis Savard`s injured foot were negative, and the Black Hawks center probably will play Wednesday against the Oilers in the Stadium, according to a team spokesman.
Savard was struck by a puck in the first period of Sunday`s 4-3 loss in Edmonton and did not play the final 40 minutes. On the return trip Monday, he was limping noticeably, but his foot wasn`t that swollen.
”We`re not sure as to whether he`ll be able to practice much, or at all, for that matter, Tuesday,” said Jim DeMaria, Chicago`s public relations director. ”But at this point, we fully expect him to be able to play against the Oilers.
”The big thing is that the X-rays didn`t show any break, and (that) it was just a bruise instead of anything more serious,” added DeMaria.
— The Oilers have several injuries, proving not all of their skating belongs in an ice show.
Forward Mike Krushelnyski suffered a badly strained knee late in the Hawks game when he collided with teammate Paul Coffey and is expected to be sidelined for several weeks. Defenseman Kevin Lowe has a broken nose from a collision with a linesman and a North Star in the Oilers` previous game.
Center Mark Messier, who has a foot injury, had his cast removed for a check-up Monday. However, doctors then decided to put a cast back on the foot and won`t look at the injury for another 10 days.
— The Black Hawks` most effective shot from the point this season remains in the hands of a defenseman named Wilson, but it`s Behn, not Doug.
Behn scored such a goal Sunday night to open the Hawks` scoring in Edmonton. It was his fifth goal of the season. The 26-year-old former Flyer, whose best NHL goal output for a regular season was 16 in 1980-81, has two game-winners in his current total. Only Savard has more.
Meanwhile, Doug continues to struggle as a goal-scorer. He has only two to show for 82 attempts, which is the second most shots for any Hawk this season. However, he collected his 14th assist in Edmonton.
— Oilers` co-coach John Muckler, subbing for head man Glen Sather, said he felt the Hawks` conservative style in Sunday`s game made it a ”boring game” for fans.
”We weren`t as disciplined as I`d like to see, but sometimes when you get players as talented as the ones on this hockey club are, they`re also very creative,” said Muckler. ”When you take that creativity away, they get their backs up and don`t always respond as they should.”
