Chicago Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville has made some substantial tweaks in the 2014 Western Conference finals, with some working out against the Los Angeles Kings and some providing a minimal impacts. He raised a few eyebrows on Sunday by inserting Kris Versteeg back into the lineup.
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#Blackhawks starters: Keith-Hjalmarsson, Bickell-Toews-Hossa, Crawford. Yes, Versteeg is in. I know, folks, I know...
— Tracey Myers (@Tramyers_NHL) June 2, 2014
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Michal Rozsival also drew back into the Blackhawks mix tonight.
Versteeg had a flat-out disastrous Game 5. He made a mistake that opened the door for at least one Kings goal and another chance or two without providing much of an offensive burst.
The 28-year-old found himself glued to the bench after a second-period Dustin Brown goal despite the game hitting a second overtime and then was a healthy scratch in Game 6.
It’s a bit surprising to see him back in the lineup for such a big game, even if he’s replacing a nondescript player like Sheldon Brookbank. A quick search of “Versteeg” produces some optimism:
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Lots of chatter about Q going with Versteeg. His gut moves have paid off lately. Going with experience for Game 7. Let it play out.
— David Haugh (@DavidHaugh) June 1, 2014
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... Along with some pessimism:
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Versteeg is back in the lineup...if the Hawks lose this game, that is the reason.
— Frank Caputo (@FrankCaputo4) June 1, 2014
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We’ll see if Versteeg makes an impact tonight (one way or another).