St Louis Post Dispatch - BLUES' PESKY QUOTIENT TAKES A BIG HIT WHEN FLU KNOCKS OUT NASH

BLUES' PESKY QUOTIENT TAKES A BIG HIT WHEN FLU KNOCKS OUT NASH

Tom Timmermann
© St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO)
May 3, 2002

The Blues were without two of their peskiest players Thursday for Game 1 of their series with Detroit. One was expected, the other wasn't.

Winger Dallas Drake, who suffered a concussion early in Game 4 of the Chicago series and also missed Game 5, sat out the game. The Blues saw that one coming. On Thursday morning, they learned that winger Tyson Nash, who figured to move up to the checking line in Drake's place, had the flu.

Nash arrived at Joe Louis Arena for the morning skate Thursday, but he was sent home before even taking the ice.

With Drake and Nash out, Jamal Mayers, who figured to take some shifts on the checking line, moved into the spot regularly. Sergei Varlamov and Daniel Corso, who had yet to play in the postseason, joined Ray Ferraro on the fourth line. Ferraro, who has played center since arriving in St. Louis, moved to right wing, with Corso playing center.

Neither Varlamov nor Corso has seen much playing time lately. Both played in the meaningless final game of the season against Detroit as coach Joel Quenneville rested many of his regulars. (Corso had the game-winning goal.) Before that game, Varlamov had been scratched from the previous 13 games and Corso had been scratched for 12 of 13, making his only appearance when Keith Tkachuk was suspended by the league.

It was the first playoff game of Varlamov's NHL career. Corso played in 12 of the Blues' 15 playoff games last season.

The Blues are targeting Drake to be back for Game 2 on Saturday. Nash's return is uncertain depending on how soon he recovers.

Datsyuk returns

Red Wings rookie center Pavel Datsyuk returned to the lineup for Game 1 after being scratched for the final two games of the Vancouver series. He didn't get much ice time, playing 8:04, but he scored the goal that put Detroit ahead 1-0 in the first period.

"He's been practicing well," Red Wings coach Scotty Bowman said in explaining his decision to use Datsyuk instead of Jason Williams. We know we need offense against St. Louis, they're a very strong defensive team. He does make great individual plays, and he made a great play for the goal."

Datsyuk led the Red Wings in scoring against the Blues during the regular season with two goals and five assists.

Short-handed complimentBrett Hull's short-handed goal was the fourth of the postseason for the Red Wings and their third in the past two games.

"You don't set up to score short-handed goals," Detroit captain Steve Yzerman said. "They just happen. You want to kill rather than create. But that goal totally changed the complexion of the game. Rather than them being on a power play and the score 1-0, we're up 2-0."

Letter from the league

Bowman said the NHL sent out a memo on Thursday saying they would be watching out for battles like the one that happened in the final minute of the game after the Blues' Keith Tkachuk brushed Red Wings goalie Dominik Hasek.

"I'm sure they're going to review this very closely," Bowman said.

"He didn't hit him," Blues captain Chris Pronger said of Tkachuk. "He went down like he was dead, so you tell me."