The Dmitri Nabokov experiment isn’t over, but it was put on hold Saturday night.
The 21-year-old forward, who had four goals and one assist in his first four games as a Blackhawk but has gone scoreless in the last five with just one shot on goal, was a healthy scratch here, and Craig Mills, just recalled from Indianapolis, was wearing Nabokov’s No. 46 because his No. 39 sweater was left in Chicago.
It was one of several changes in the wake of the Hawks’ 4-2 loss Friday night to Phoenix. Brent Sutter, who has a nagging shoulder and groin injury, didn’t make the trip and was placed on injured reserve. Steve Dubinsky, who had been playing a wing on a line with Sutter, moved back to center between Jean-Yves Leroux and Mills, and Jarrod Skalde made his Hawks debut centering the fourth line.
Defenseman Michal Sykora was a healthy scratch, replaced by Cam Russell, who has been out since Dec. 7 with a sore shoulder. Kevin Miller replaced Nabokov on the top line with Alex Zhamnov and Tony Amonte.
“It doesn’t hurt for a young kid to sit back and watch,” General Manager Bob Murray said of Nabokov.
“He’s like a lot of young players,” said coach Craig Hartsburg. “Consistency is missing, but we see the upside.”
Making an impact: Mills set up the Hawks’ third goal, drilling Toronto’s Dimitri Yushkevich in the corner, racing to the front of the net and deflecting Gary Suter’s shot right to Dubinsky, who buried it.
As exciting as it was for Mills to get called Friday night in Quebec to rejoin the club, it was doubly exciting to play a role in a victory in his hometown.
“The first time, I was really nervous,” he said of playing in Maple Leaf Gardens on Nov. 11. “I was able to relax a little more this time.”
The wait continues: The last time the Leafs scored on a penalty shot in front of their home crowd was Jan. 14, 1984, when Greg Terrion beat the Hawks’ Murray Bannerman.
The battler: Reid Simpson, who had a minor scuffle with Phoenix’s Brad Isbister in his Hawks debut Friday, fought Toronto’s Tie Domi in the first period Saturday.
“That’s always been part of my game,” he said. “I realize that’s going to keep me playing. I believe it’s an important part of the game as far as team confidence and morale. You want to be confident in your team toughness.”
Hartsburg applauded the effort of Simpson and Cummins.
“They did a good job of standing up and letting Toronto know we were here and physical,” he said.
Polling place: Friday, Chris Chelios was named one of the top 50 players of all time by the Hockey News. Two weeks ago, a Toronto Sun talent poll rated Chelios just the 13th best defenseman in the NHL today.
“Go and find the GMs of the other 12 guys and see if they’d take Chelios over their guy,” said Hartsburg, who believes his captain will be in the running for a fourth Norris Trophy this season.
