Phoenix Coyotes hope to keep overtime roll running against Chicago Blackhawks -NHL Game 4 Preview
All three games of the 2012 National Hockey League (NHL) Stanley Cup Playoffs Western Conference Quarterfinal series have been decided in overtime thus far and with Phoenix Coyotes having won two of them, their hoping to keep it that way going up against
Chicago Blackhawks for game 4 on Thursday night, April 19, 2012, at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
What will be different for both teams in game 4 is that they will be missing players from their line-up.
Raffi Torres has been suspended indefinitely by the NHL for his hit on Chicago’s Marian Hossa. Torres struck Hossa in the face with his shoulder during game 3, which had him taken out of the match on a stretcher and potentially out of the series at the moment.
Hossa was taken to a local city hospital and it is not clear as of yet when his return might be.
"There's only been one dirty hit in our series and you saw the same thing from that guy last year in the same series," Chicago's Patrick Sharp, said. "You know it's coming. You try to warn your linemates and be aware when he's on the ice.”
The Chicago and Phoenix series has been full of fights but this was the first injury that occurred and it definitely was a big one, which just goes to show how competitive the two teams have become.
"I've seen a lot of other hits like it in the league. It's a fast game," Coyotes coach, Dave Tippett, said Wednesday. "The thing about TV is you can slow it down and you can click and click and click it. When you're out there on the ice, it's not slowed
down and click, click, click. It's a fast game.'
According to Chicago head coach, Joel Quenneville, Hossa will definitely not be taking part in Thursday night’s matchup.
Andrew Shaw is also not with Chicago after he hit Phoenix goalie, Mike Smith, and was awarded a three-game suspension after game 2 of the series.
Seeing both teams going head-to-head again will certainly be exciting as Chicago has a chance to level the series while Phoenix will be looking to put Blackhawks on the verge of elimination.
The match starts at 8:00 PM ET.
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