Dallas' Morrow plays with bad ankle
Associated Press
DALLAS -- A broken bone in Brenden Morrow's right ankle was
supposed to knock him out of the playoffs. Instead, the Dallas
Stars' rookie forward missed just two games.
Another case of playoff gamesmanship? Hardly, insists Stars
coach Ken Hitchcock.
|  | | Morrow, left, was reunited with linemates Brett Hull and Mike Modano. |
"I think there's some people that are a little bit confused
about his injury," said Hitchcock, who didn't help matters by
declaring last week that Morrow wasn't likely to return. "It's a
fracture.
"The fracture site is definitive, it's really a matter of
swelling and pain. If he's able to play without the ankle swelling
up, then we're in good shape."
Hitchcock compared the break to the one suffered by center Mike
Modano in last year's Stanley Cup finals. Modano, though, broke a
bone in his wrist and played with a cast.
Morrow taped his ankle and played 13 minutes, 26 seconds in
Dallas' 4-1 victory Sunday. There was minimal swelling overnight
and he walked through the dressing room Monday with only a slight
limp. He's expected to play in Game 5 Tuesday night, although how
long is still in doubt.
"I think we all wondered what it was going to be like today
when I woke up, but it never swelled up too bad," said Morrow,
crediting ice and milk for his quick recovery. "The pain never got
too bad."
"Who's to say it was ever broken?" Modano said, smirking. "It
depends on who is reading the X-rays. Everyone is day-to-day in the
playoffs."
Morrow said he's seen the crack on the X-ray, but he's not sure
where the damage is. All he knows is that it's not to either of the
major bones on the inside or outside of the ankle.
Morrow was injured after being tangled up with Colorado's Dave
Andreychuk late in Game 1. He missed Games 2 and 3, but felt good
enough to skate Saturday. The problem was, his equipment was in
Dallas.
Morrow borrowed a pair of Modano's skates, then the team flew in
the rookie's equipment just in case he might be ready to play
Sunday. He was on the ice enough to make four hits and had a plus-2
rating.
"Some people can't play with that pain, but he feels he can,"
Hitchcock said. "Whether it gets to the point that it's too
uncomfortable and he can't perform, time will tell." |
