With sore-necked Jocelyn Thibault watching, Michel Larocque started his second National Hockey League game in goal Wednesday night when the Blackhawks suffered a frustrating 3-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers.
The loss left them 11 points behind the team they’re trying to overtake in the Western Conference race to make the playoffs.
Thibault hurt his neck when he tried to stop a shot during the morning skate, aggravating what seemed to be a minor injury when he crashed head-first into the goal post late in Sunday’s 6-2 victory in Vancouver.
“I hurt myself in the Vancouver game and the last two days my neck was stiff,” said Thibault, who has been in the forefront of the Hawks’ struggle to get back into playoff contention during the past six weeks. “I went to make a glove save [at the skate] and something snapped on the left side of my neck. I couldn’t look over my left shoulder.
“At first, I was having spasms. Throughout the day it got better. But it was impossible for me to play. I couldn’t look back and see the puck.”
Thibault said he hoped to be back in the lineup Thursday night when the Hawks play in Calgary. However, coach Alpo Suhonen had his doubts. “We don’t know, but it doesn’t look good,” he said.
Injury epidemic: The loss of Thibault has compounded an already serious injury situation for the Hawks, who have three key players–center Alex Zhamnov and defensemen Jaroslav Spacek and Boris Mironov–on the injured list recovering from injuries that probably will sideline them until late this month or early March. Zhamnov has a fractured larynx; Spacek, a cracked shoulder bone; and Mironov had surgery last week to repair damaged ligaments in his wrist.
General Manager Mike Smith said although Zhamnov’s swelling has gone down and he is speaking again “he still won’t be able to do any exercise for another week.”
SOS to Norfolk: Because of the uncertainty surrounding Thibault’s injury, Smith said Jeff Maund, a goalie who never has played in an NHL game, will be recalled from Norfolk as a precaution and will join the team in Calgary to back up Larocque.
Larocque began the season with the Norfolk farm team. He was recalled three times but didn’t get a chance to make his NHL debut until last Thursday when he relieved Thibault in the second period and allowed one goal the rest of the way in the 5-1 loss to Philadelphia.
Suhonen decided Thibault needed a night off after having used him 18 consecutive games and had Larocque in goal the next night in Denver. It was an inauspicious debut–the league’s top team greeted him with three goals in less than 10 minutes and went on to win 5-2.
Thibault returned in Vancouver and made 38 saves in leading the Hawks to the victory that ended a three-game losing streak.
Larocque’s ledger: “Definitely, I felt a lot better than Friday night,” said Larocque, reviewing his 23-save performance. “I’m still adjusting to the play in the NHL, but I’m encouraged by the progress. I’ve still got things to learn. On their third goal, if I’m out of the net an extra half a foot the shot [by Shawn Horcoff] is off my shoulder. It’s not something you can think of when you’re out there.”
