Although it seems like an unlikely scenario, head coach Peter Laviolette said the Finn, who skated in full-contact mode for the first time during practice at his training facility on Wednesday, will be playing in Kaapo in Thursday night's game in St. Louis. He did not explicitly rule out the possibility of using Kakko.
“Right now he's living hand to mouth,” Laviolette said of Kakko, who has missed the past 19 games since going down with a left foot injury on Nov. 27.
“He looked very good to me again. He has a good face. For now he is living hand to mouth.”
Kakko skated in the middle between Chris Kreider and Will Quill, while Mika Zibanejad missed practice due to bad weather.
The number 93 is expected to play against the Blues.
This begins a period in which the team will play three games in four nights, including back-to-back weekend matinees against the Caps, which opens Saturday in D.C.
The schedule will certainly play a role in leadership's decision on when to take Kakko off the long-term injured list and reinstate him.
The 22-year-old winger skated alongside Kreider and Zibanejad in the opening 11 games, scoring three points (2-1) in 20 games, before joining Will Quill and Nick Bonino on the third line.
“We're discussing all of that between our doctors and our training staff, our management and our coaches,” Laviolette said. “We will do what is best for the players.”
The Canucks scored at 15:33 and 16:47 of the second period on Monday to open a 3-2 lead and an unassailable three-goal cushion as the Blueshirts scored two within 1 minute and 30 seconds. This was the 17th time they conceded a goal.
That includes seven times in which he was scored twice within 30 seconds. Three of the 17 instances contain empty netters.
“There are some questions I wish I had answers to,” Laviolette said when asked if he could explain it. “I don't have one.”
But the coach explained in as much detail as possible.
“At some point in my tenure, we're going to score a goal past the goalie in three out of 12 games. Somebody's going to ask a question, and I don't have an answer to that,” Laviolette said. Told. “There are always peaks and valleys in the seasons.
“And if there's a pocket where something is going on, you try to fix it, you try to talk about it. You try to talk about the next shift. You deal with it, you try to put it on the table. Try putting it in and making sure the first shift of the period is good.If you finish with the last shift of the period and someone scores a goal, you'll be answering the next bell.That's where the bleeding starts. Shift a few times to make sure it stops.
“But it happened,” the coach said. “There’s not necessarily an answer to that other than putting it on the table and talking about it.”
Jake Lecishin replaced Brennan Osman as the fifth forward to be called up during the season from the AHL Wolfpack, returning to Hartford after a brief stint in the NHL.
Leshishyn, who had six points (3-3) in 14 AHL games, is expected to play Thursday after sliding between Nick Bonino (left) and Johnny Brodzinski.
The 24-year-old center follows Brodzinski, Riley Nash, Adam Edstrom (currently injured) and Osman on the Merritt Parkway Express. Last season, he appeared in 13 games for the Blueshirts but did not record a goal.
“Obviously, I got to see him a little bit in training camp,” Laviolette said. “He's fast, a good all-around player and their top all-around player at the moment.”
Tyler Pitlick, who suffered a lower body injury against Carolina on Jan. 2, has started skating on his own.
“He's progressing, but he's not at the point where he can come back and join us.” [for practice]” Laviolette said.
Blueshirt players have begun using a metal device that simulates rebounding for practice after formal practice.
“It's wild,” Kreider said. “Some of the rebounds will come out. hot!”
