Knee injury forces Thornton to miss series opener.
Knee injury keeps him out of opener with no return date set
EDMONTON, Alberta — Joe Thornton’s left knee injury cost him the chance to play Game 1 of the Sharks’ opening round playoff series against the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday, and there remains no timeframe for when he might return.
Thornton and Logan Couture took part in the Sharks’ optional skate Wednesday morning at Rogers Place and coach Pete DeBoer said then that both players would be game-time decisions. While Couture skated and was in the starting lineup, Thornton was not part of the Sharks’ pregame skate.
Thornton’s absence Wednesday marked the first time he hadn’t been in the Sharks’ lineup for a postseason game.
“You want to play,” he said Wednesday. “It’s the best time of year, so we’re doing everything we can to play tonight, so we’ll see what happens.”
Thornton, who hurt his left knee in a game against the Vancouver Canucks on April 2, skated on Monday and Tuesday when the Sharks practiced in San Jose. Thornton said he felt good after the morning skate but didn’t know if he’d be able to dress.
Tuesday, Thornton took some line rushes skating in between Micheal Haley and Kevin Labanc, who were the Sharks’ other scratched forwards for Game 1.
Thornton had been a part of 121 straight Sharks playoff games since he came to the team in November 2005, recording 27 goals and 95 assists.
“You never want to risk further injury, but this is going to be Joe,” DeBoer said when asked about Thornton. “Joe’s going to make that decision and nobody else. He’ll tell us, and it’s not just whether he can play, it’s whether he can play a level where he can help us.
“He knows his body better than anybody, he knows his game better than anybody.”
The last time Thornton missed a playoff game was April 22, 1999, when he did not play for the Boston Bruins in Game 1 of their opening round playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Oilers coach Todd McLellan on Wednesday morning had no doubt Couture will play, and figures Thornton will be a part of the series at some point.
“Jumbo, unless they cut his leg off, we’ll see him at some point in the series,” McLellan said. “That’s how he is. He’s an oldschool guy that will find his way into the series. I don’t know if he’ll play in Game 1, but we’ll plan as if they’re in.”
Couture’s game was his first since March 25 when he was struck in the face by a deflected puck in a game against the Nashville Predators.
Couture centered the Sharks’ top line with Joe Pavelski and Melker Karlsson on his wings and spent time with the top power play unit.
Wednesday’s game n marked the first NHL playoff game for rookie forwards Marcus Sorensen and Timo Meier, who were both on the fourth line with center Chris Tierney.
Follow Curtis Pashelka on Twitter at twitter.com/ CurtisPashelka.