Despite shoulder pain, Brouwer will play

Share

Wednesday, April 13, 2011Posted: 3:01 p.m.

By Tracey Myers
CSNChicago.com

VANCOUVER, British ColumbiaTroy Brouwer still has some pain in that right shoulder. But its not enough to keep him out of the playoffs.

Brouwer, whos been out the past week, will play tonight when the Chicago Blackhawks play the Vancouver Canucks in Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals. Coach Joel Quenneville did not say who would come out of the Blackhawks lineup with Brouwers return. Dave Bolland is still progressing well from a concussion and was at morning skate, but he is out for tonights game.

Brouwer was injured last week in the Blackhawks overtime loss to Montreal; hes not completely healthyIts pain. But its dulled down quite a bit, he said -- but hes definitely healthy enough for playoff hockey.

A lot of the guys out there arent going to be 100 percent. Ill just add to that list, he said. You want to make sure you can go out and play properly and not be tentative out there. For me, thats what the decision comes down to. I feel Im ready to play.

Brouwers shoulder will definitely be tested. Hell be among several Blackhawks expected to create traffic and obstruct views in front of Vancouver goaltender Roberto Luongo. Brouwer said hes ready to do whats necessary.

(Luongos) been playing well this year and swallowing everything up, making the saves he can see all the time, Brouwer said. You need to get traffic in front of him. Thats what were going to try and do.

Its also a chance for Brouwer to play in front of family. That includes his father Don, whose health keeps improving from a brain aneurysm he suffered last spring.

My dad doesnt get to travel too much anymore, so I want to play in front of him, Brouwer said. Hes retired and loves to golf. Hes keeping busy. The only thing he cant do is drive and hes working with a lot of specialists to make sure that can happen so he can get mobile again.

Tracey Myers is CSNChicago.com's Blackhawks Insider. Follow Tracey on Twitter @TramyersCSN for up-to-the-minute Hawks information.

Contact Us