Forward Patrick Kane and defenseman Steve Montador should be fine for the Blackhawks. But there are real concerns about the status of center Marcus Kruger after all three players sat out practice Tuesday at the United Center.
Coach Joel Quenneville said Kane missed practice with the flu, while Montador got a maintenance day. But Kruger sat out with an "upper-body injury" a day after getting knocked around by the Blue Jackets in his first game back from a concussion.
Kruger finished the game against the Blue Jackets, playing 14:23. Kruger was back in the lineup after missing one game with a concussion suffered when Penguins defenseman Deryk Engelland hit him in the head last week.
Quenneville wouldn't say if Kruger's current injury is related to his concussion, but the signs are there.
On Kruger's first shift Monday against the Blue Jackets, defenseman Aaron Johnson caught him with his head down in the corner and landed a hard check.
On his next shift, Kruger shoved forward Rick Nash into the Hawks' bench. Nash responded with an elbow and a shove to Kruger's face, drawing a roughing penalty.
Later in the first period, center Derek MacKenzie checked Kruger, and both went crashing hard into the boards.
"It's hard to say," Quenneville said. "I don't know if it was a defining blow or not."
Slap shots
Goalie Corey Crawford will start his third consecutive game Wednesday against the Los Angeles Kings.
** Daniel Carcillo said he felt much better after his second skate and hopes to play against the Kings. Quenneville will decide before the game.
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