Blackhawks captain Tony Amonte, whose string of 399 consecutive games is the longest for an active NHL player, twisted his ankle during Friday’s practice and had to be helped off the ice.
He sustained the injury when his skates became entangled with those of defenseman Chris McAlpine during a drill.
Amonte didn’t return to the ice. Instead he left The Edge practice facility in Bensenville to have team doctors examine the ankle.
“It’s precautionary,” said coach Brian Sutter, who doesn’t believe the injury will take his second biggest point producer (23 goals and 36 assists) out of the lineup Sunday when the Hawks play St. Louis in the United Center. “We should know by practice [Saturday].”
Sullivan may play: Sutter said he “wouldn’t be surprised” if Steve Sullivan is able to play Sunday after sustaining a second-degree left shoulder separation during Wednesday night’s 3-1 loss to New Jersey.
“I’m not ruling out Sunday,” said Sullivan, who has scored 20 goals and assisted on 36. “Every day it’s feeling a little better. It depends on my pain threshold–if I feel I can shoot a puck and take a hit.”
Bell update: Sutter also hopes to have Mark Bell back for the Blues game. But the rookie left wing, who missed the New Jersey game because of a bruised left hip sustained in Sunday’s tie with Dallas, doesn’t expect to play “unless I feel really good.” Bell skated Friday for the first time since he was hurt but didn’t practice.
“It’s feeling better every day and I worked pretty hard today,” Bell said. “If it feels good I’ll practice [Saturday].”
The new guys: After having a plus-minus rating of minus-28 for his 65 games with Central Division cellar-dweller Columbus, newly acquired defenseman Lyle Odelein had a plus/minus rating of minus-2 when he made his debut for the Hawks in Wednesday’s loss to New Jersey. Odelein worked a team-high 30 shifts and was on the ice for 21 minutes 37 seconds.
Deja vu: When goalie Jocelyn Thibault thwarted the Devils’ Sergei Brylin on a first-period penalty shot it gave him a 2-for-2 career record in NHL penalty shots. His other save came March 16, 1995 when he was playing for Quebec and stopped Pittsburgh’s Martin Straka.
Over the Hawks’ 76-year history, Brylin’s penalty shot was the 52nd against them and Thibault’s save was their 23rd.
Like old times: The Hawks and St. Louis Blues Alumni will renew their rivalry 7 p.m. Saturday in the United Center after the 4 p.m. high school state championship game pitting Fenwick against New Trier Green. Sutter is thinking about playing for both the Hawks and St. Louis, where he spent his entire career.
For the Hawks’ Alumni, assistant coach Denis Savard is a definite along with fellow Hall of Famer Stan Mikita and 1982 Norris Trophy winner Doug Wilson, now San Jose’s director of pro development.
Tickets: Preparing for the playoffs for the first time in five years, the Hawks will start selling playoff tickets for their first six games at 11 a.m. Saturday.
The tickets can be purchased at the United Center box office, at Ticketmaster outlets and by phone through Ticketmaster at 312-559-1212. Tickets are $325, $100, $90, $75, $60, $34.50 and $25.
