After falling in game one of their series against the Phoenix Coyotes, the Chicago Blackhawks know how important it is to avoid a 2-0 hole. However, avoiding that deficit will be even more difficult tonight, as Brian Hamilton of the Chicago Tribute reports that Radim Vrbata will return to the lineup after playing only a couple shifts in the first game of the series:
Radim Vrbata will play in Game 2 on Saturday night after skating just two shifts of a series-opening victory two nights earlier, Coyotes coach Dave Tippett announced after the team's morning skate in Scottsdale, Ariz.
"He's going to play," Tippett told reporters.
Vrbata took a first-period hit from the Hawks' Andrew Shaw and did not return to Game 1 on Thursday night. The former Hawk castoff amassed a career-high 35 goals this season -- basically responsible for one of every six Coyotes' tallies.
Vrbata spent two season in Chicago and amassed just 27 goals over the two season. However, since joining Phoenix for the 2009/2010 season, Vrbata has emerged as a steady goal-scoring threat.
For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more in-depth coverage of this series, visit Blackhawks blog Second City Hockey and Coyotes blog Five For Howling. For more NHL Playoffs coverage, head over to SB Nation's NHL news hub.