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Ducks, minus top two defensemen, host Blackhawks (Apr 06, 2017)
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Anaheim Ducks will try to solidify their hold on first place in the Pacific Division Thursday night without their best two defensemen against the Western Conference's best team.
Cam Fowler and Hampus Lindholm will miss the game against the Chicago Blackhawks at the Honda Center. Fowler suffered an undisclosed injury in Tuesday night's 3-1 victory over the Calgary Flames. The 25-year-old defenseman had to be helped off the ice 6:09 into the third period after a knee-on-knee hit in the slot from Calgary's Mark Giordano sent Fowler sprawling into the boards behind Anaheim's net.
Giordano received no penalty, and the NHL announced Wednesday that it would not conduct a hearing.
Coach Randy Carlyle said Fowler suffered a lower-body injury but offered no specifics. The defenseman underwent an MRI on Wednesday. Fowler, who represented the United States in the 2014 Winter Olympics, played in his first All-Star Game in January in Los Angeles.
"He's an exceptional player and he adds a lot to our team," Ducks defenseman Josh Manson said. "We'll find a way to pull through."
Pulling through also means dealing with Lindholm's absence. Lindholm, who leads the team with a plus-14 rating, will miss his third consecutive game after aggravating an upper-body injury and did not skate in Wednesday's practice. Lindholm and Fowler are considered day-to-day.
Two other defensemen will not be available. Korbinian Holzer returned to Germany on Wednesday to deal with a family problem. Clayton Stoner, who has not played since Nov. 15 and underwent abdominal surgery in December, has not yet been cleared to play despite finishing a conditioning assignment with the Ducks' AHL affiliate in San Diego.
Sami Vatanen, who also missed the past two games because a puck hit him in Saturday night's contest against the Winnipeg Jets, told the Ducks' Twitter account that he felt "ready to go." Yet the Ducks still need one more defenseman to join Manson, rookies Shea Theodore and Brandon Montour, and 35-year-old Kevin Bieksa.
Anaheim recalled left winger Ondrej Kase from San Diego on Wednesday, meaning that physical winger Chris Wagner could be pressed into service on the blue line.
"We were prepared to put Wagner back on defense," Carlyle said after Tuesday night's game.
In the midst of all the uncertainty, Anaheim must repel any late challenges from the Edmonton Oilers and the San Jose Sharks, who share second place and lie within four points of the first-place Ducks. San Jose and Anaheim each have two games left entering Thursday night's action, while Edmonton has three.
Meanwhile, the Blackhawks are preparing for the playoffs and plan to rest some regulars despite a two-game losing streak. Defenseman Duncan Keith, who had played in all 79 of the Hawks' games, did not dress for Tuesday night's 4-3 overtime loss to the Colorado Avalanche. Niklas Hjalmarsson, another defenseman, remained in Chicago to attend to his pregnant wife.
Center Artem Anisimov, who injured his left ankle March 14 against the Montreal Canadiens, began skating this week in Chicago and should be ready for the Stanley Cup playoffs.
With two games left in the regular season, Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville's only major concern is the fourth line. Eight players are competing for three spots.
"We're still having decisions to make," Quenneville told the Chicago Tribune. "There could be some movement as we're going along but there will be some competition and decision making, as far as watching them play and what our options are based on opponents."
