Boris Mironov has “made it a goal” to return to the Blackhawks’ lineup in Sunday afternoon’s rematch with Minnesota at the United Center.
Friday night’s game with the Wild was the eighth in a row the defenseman has missed since dislocating his right shoulder late in the March 11 loss in Los Angeles.
“I tried a shot and it felt really good,” Mironov said after participating in Friday morning’s pregame skate and then taking part in a rigorous on-ice workout with injured right wing Steve Sullivan and the healthy scratches.
“I didn’t try to go in the corners yet.
“When I come back I have to be strong mentally and play a hard physical game, same as I was before I was hurt. I have to be strong mentally and not be afraid of getting injured again. I’m a little bit ahead of schedule but I have a little bit of pain. I talked to the doctors in Chicago and New Jersey and they said I should expect to feel pain for two months.”
Before sustaining the injury–that came when he fell after receiving a prompting push from Sullivan in a power-play situation–Mironov was having a great year. His plus/minus rating of plus-15 is by far the best for the team’s defensemen.
This is Mironov’s second experience with a dislocated shoulder. The first dislocation was sustained in his left shoulder in 1992 when he was playing in an exhibition game for the Red Army team in Russia.
“I played all season with it and 8-or-10 times it popped out again,” he remembered.
“When I went to Winnipeg (to begin his NHL career in 1993-94) they did surgery that summer and I’ve never had a problem with it.
“The doctors don’t know for sure but probably this summer I’ll have to have surgery again.”
Sullivan iffy: Sullivan, whose left shoulder was separated during the March 20 home-ice loss to New Jersey, was absent from the lineup for the third straight game Friday. He could return Sunday but probably won’t.
“Every day it’s feeling a little bit better,” said the Hawks’ fourth biggest point producer with 20 goals and 34 assists. “The main thing is to get range of motion and strength back into it. When I feel I can shoot the puck and take a check, then I’ll play.”
Blue Christmas: Among the Hawks’ healthy scratches was Casey Hankinson, the center/winger recalled from Norfolk on March 19.
“It’s like going to see Santa but he’s got no presents,” said the native of St. Paul-Minneapolis suburb of Edina, who played college hockey at Minnesota.
Farm report: Center Tyler Arnason, who spent most of the first five months of the season playing for Norfolk before cracking the Hawks’ lineup, has been named to the American Hockey League’s all-rookie team along with Norfolk goalie Michael Leighton. . . . Defenseman Steve McCarthy, the Hawks’ first-round selection in the 1999 draft, has been named the Norfolk farm team’s Man of the Year, honoring him as the player making the greatest commitment to the community and its charitable organizations. . . . Igor Radulov, the left wing who made such a good impression on the Hawks’ hierarchy at last summer’s rookie camp, has joined Norfolk for a tryout after completing an introductory season of North American hockey with Mississaugua of the Ontario League.
