Cheechoo blessé....

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP/TSN) - San Jose Sharks leading goal-scorer Jonathan Cheechoo needed help getting off the ice after Nashville's Scott Hartnell collided with him knee-on-knee and drew a major penalty and ejection for the hit Wednesday night.

Cheechoo will undergo an MRI on his injured knee on Thursday.

Hartnell was skating when his right leg crashed into Cheechoo's right knee as Cheechoo skated across the ice in the second period of the playoff series opener. Cheechoo's knee bent at an awkward angle and he slumped to the ice nine minutes into the second period.

Cheechoo, who led the NHL with 56 goals last season, stayed down for a few minutes before being helped off by teammates Joe Thornton and Craig Rivet without putting weight on his injured leg.

Hartnell was given a major penalty for kneeing and left with his second game misconduct in three contests.


Sharks coach Ron Wilson told TSN that Cheechoo wanted to come back into the game and said that he was confident that Cheechoo would play again in the series.

In addition to the knee injury, Cheecho lost a tooth from an elbow and then hit his face on the ice in the collision with Hartnell.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=203798&hubname=nhl

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Ca va faire mal au Sharks sa......

S'il s'aperçoit que c'est plus sérieux...

Associated Press

4/13/2007 3:34:59 PM

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - San Jose forward Jonathan Cheechoo tested his sprained right knee at Friday's morning skate, and it's unclear if the Sharks' top goal-scorer will play in Game 2 against Nashville later in the evening.

Cheechoo said the decision to play was up to him. If his knee swells or the pain worsened, then he said he would not be able to play.

San Jose coach Ron Wilson said the decision would be made at game time. San Jose won the opener 5-4 in double overtime Wednesday night, with Game 2 of the best-of-seven series Friday night.

''Mentally, I'm preparing to play Joe Pavelski, but we'll see during warmups and how he feels,'' said Wilson, who had not spoken to Cheechoo.

Cheechoo, who had a team-high 37 goals during the season, hurt his right knee nine minutes into the second period Wednesday night in a knee-on-knee collision with Nashville forward Scott Hartnell. The Sharks had hoped the play would result in a suspension to Hartnell, but that did not happen.





An MRI showed only a sprain, and Wilson said he would talk to the team doctors about whether Cheechoo could further damage the knee if he played. The Sharks have the advantage of two days off before Game 3 on Sunday.

Cheechoo had no brace on his right knee. He is a key piece of the Sharks' top line, and his 130 goals are the most among players entering the NHL since 2002-03.

The Predators contend the collision was unintentional. Cheechoo doesn't agree.

''He stuck out his knee whether he wants to admit it or not,'' he said. ''I've seen the tape. His knee came out.''


Un cas incertain pour la 2e game