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Since this is the playoffs, teams are particularly evasive when it comes to injuries. The Chicago Blackhawks haven't shared much about forward Andrew Shaw's timetable for return. He has been out of the lineup since leaving Game 1 of the club's second-round series against the Minnesota Wild. As each game approaches since Shaw's injury, the update has been the same: Shaw isn't playing.
Shaw will indeed be out for Game 6, the team announced. He will be missing his fifth straight contest with a lower-body injury after taking a hard hit from Wild defenseman Clayton Stoner in Game 1. He has been listed as day-to-day since suffering the injury.
The Blackhawks have missed the agitating forward and what he brings to their lineup. In addition to his ability to get under other players' skin and play a physical game, Shaw helps provide some scoring depth and had four points in the postseason before going down.
"He's progressing, but he's not on the trip," Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville offered the assembled media (via ESPNChicago.com).
Shaw hasn't even resumed skating yet, so his absence for Game 6 in St. Paul is hardly surprising. He is expected to get back on the ice within the next few days, though.
Quenneville is a noted line-tinkerer, but the Blackhawks haven't found a ton of really consistent combinations since Shaw has been out. Losing a key depth player will do that. Then add in the suspension of Brandon Bollig, who won't be eligible to return to the lineup until after Game 6, and things have really been jumbled for the Blackhawks.
The club has a chance to close out the series, but will be hard-pressed to do so as the Wild have been essentially unbeatable on home ice this year. They are 5-0 at the Xcel Energy Center this postseason.
Having Shaw for that tough contest would have helped the Hawks, but they'll have to hope for some of their lower-lineup forwards to step up in what is sure to be a really tough Game 6 on Tuesday in St. Paul.
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