Knee OK, Sharp isn’t worried by hits to come
BY ADAM L. JAHNS ajahns@suntimes.com April 15, 2011 11:14PM
Updated: September 24, 2012 6:25AM
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Blackhawks forward Patrick Sharp expects contact — a lot of it. He knows he’s a target for the Vancouver Canucks in their Western Conference quarterfinal series as one of the Hawks’ best players.
“We’re going to get hit again,” Sharp said. “It’s not anything we’re worried about.”
Sharp also isn’t overly worried about his knee.
Sharp is toughing out a knee injury that cost him seven games at the end of the regular season. There’s no questioning the Hawks’ need for Sharp in the lineup.
“It’s good; no problems at all,” said Sharp, when asked how his knee stood up after all the Canucks’ hits in Game 1.
Sharp’s return from his injury April 6 came as a shock to nearly everyone, including his teammates.
“I was surprised when he came to the lineup for our home game against St. Louis,” captain Jonathan Toews said. “But he’s played great hockey since. To me, it doesn’t look like there is anything bothering him out there. He’s playing hard. He’s not making any excuses.”
When pressed further about his knee, Sharp said he’s had “no problems with it.”
“It’s been fine,” he said. “We have a great training staff and a great strength coach that has been working with me. I have no complaints.”
