One game after turning over the puck that led to a goal, Igor Korolev watched Tuesday night’s game in street clothes. Korolev’s cross-ice clearing attempt against New Jersey was picked off and resulted in the Devils’ first goal Sunday.
Rookie center Mikhail Yakubov was scratched Dec. 14 against Dallas after being on the ice for the lone goal in the previous game. If something happens once, it’s a coincidence. Twice it becomes a trend.
Blackhawks coach Brian Sutter didn’t specifically cite Korolev’s gaffe as the reason for the benching.
“I’d be sitting two or three guys out a night then,” Sutter said.
Scratching a player “is the hammer a coach has” to get a message across, Sutter said. But with rosters at 23 and few teams carrying even that many, a coach doesn’t get a chance to use the hammer much. “I don’t like sitting players,” Sutter said. . . . Sutter did say he wanted to get Igor Radulov back into the lineup and “see how he responds.” Radulov was scratched in the New Jersey game because Sutter wasn’t happy with the effort the rookie put forth last week in Ottawa and Detroit. Sutter had a private conversation with Radulov during Tuesday’s morning skate. . . . How young are the Hawks? “I hope they still believe in Santa,” Sutter said. . . . Despite tasting victory just once in the last 20 games, coming to the rink hasn’t become a chore. “What are we going to do, mope around?” Scott Nichol said. “We’re the only ones who are going to turn this around.” . . .
The Blues were without Keith Tkachuk, Doug Weight, Al MacInnis, Barret Jackman, Jeff Finley, Petr Cajanek, Eric Boguniecki and Reed Low because of injuries. St. Louis has lost 177 man-games to injuries this season. The Hawks have lost 178. . . . Defenseman Steve Poapst, who sat out the third period Sunday because of a sore back, had his back realigned by a chiropractor Monday. Poapst was in the lineup Tuesday. . . . Bryan Berard missed his sixth straight game with a groin injury.
