TAMPA, Fla. – Bryan Bickell was out and Kris Versteeg was in as the Blackhawks prepared for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night.
Why Bickell was not playing is unknown at the moment. He practiced on Tuesday and skated again on Wednesday morning in his usual second-line spot, teamed with Brad Richards and Marian Hossa. He also took part in the Blackhawks’ media availability on Tuesday afternoon.
There was a question of whether or not Bickell suffered an injury in Game 7 of the Western Conference final against the Anaheim Ducks. In that game, he did not play past an early second-period shift. Asked on Monday if Bickell sat because he was hurt or because he was not playing well, coach Joel Quenneville said, “we’ll say it was my decision, but we’ll say a little bit of both.”
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Quenneville also said on Monday that Bickell and Marcus Kruger, who took a big hit late in the third period and did not play the final minutes, were fine and were expected to play in tonight's game.
Versteeg joined the team in Tampa on Tuesday morning after he and his wife welcomed their first child on Monday.