WC: Brodeur questionable for Saturday
Canadian Press
9/10/2004
TORONTO (CP) - Martin Brodeur's hand is sore, so the star goaltender will be a game-time decision when Team Canada takes on the Czech Republic in the semifinals of the World Cup on Saturday.
Brodeur, who left Air Canada Centre with a bandage on his catching glove hand Thursday, had an MRI taken and it came back negative.
He practised with Canada on Friday but left midway through the session as a precaution.
"I fully expect that Marty will be ready," Team Canada head coach Pat Quinn said after practice Friday.
"Marty has a jammed wrist but it's improving. If it keeps improving like it has today, then he should be fine. But it'll be a game-time decision."
Should Brodeur not be ready, Roberto Luongo of the Florida Panthers would likely start Saturday (CBC, 6:30 p.m. EDT) with Jose Theodore of the Montreal Canadiens as the backup.
Ironically, Luongo was pressed into action against the Czechs during a semifinal game of the 2003 IIHF world championship in Helsinki when Sean Burke was injured. Luongo would later lead Canada to gold.
Brodeur was hurt on a long shot from centre ice with three minutes left in Wednesday's 5-0 quarter-final win over Slovakia.
He skipped Thursday's optional practice, as did many of the veteran players.
"It was late in the game, a long shot that looked harmless but caught him high," Quinn said. "That's the one that did the damage."
On Friday, Brodeur handled the puck in practice and made several glove saves although it appeared most of the Canadian shooters were not aiming their shots to that side.
Defenceman Wade Redden also had his first full practice Friday since injuring his left shoulder in a round-robin game against Slovakia on Sept. 1.
Quinn would not say whether Redden would play Saturday, which likely would come at the expense of 20-year-old defenceman Jay Bouwmeester.
