CHICAGO -- Chicago Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville will shuffle his lineup once again ahead of Game 4 against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Kimmo Timonen will rejoin the Blackhawks lineup for the first time since Game 5 of the Western Conference Final against the Anaheim Ducks. After a solid performance in Game 3, Trevor van Riemsdyk is also expected to be in for Game 4.
It is expected that Timonen will take Kyle Cumiskey’s spot in the lineup. Cumiskey was on the ice for the Lightning’s late game-winning goal in Game 3.
Timonen has appeared in 15 playoff games. He has yet to register a point and has averaged just 9:25 of ice time in the games he has played.
“He’s smart, experienced and I think he did a good job for us throughout the playoffs,” Quenneville said of the 40-year-old Finnish rearguard. “This gives him the chance to get in here in a big moment. His reads, his positional awareness and coverage in his own end will help.”
Quenneville will also swap out forward Bryan Bickell out for Kris Versteeg. Bickell missed the first two games of the Stanley Cup Final with an upper-body injury, but was given a chance to get back into the lineup in Game 3. Versteeg will be back in after serving as Bickell’s replacement in Games 1 and 2.
Defenseman Johnny Oduya, who was limited by an apparent injury in Game 3 and did not participate in the morning skate, is “likely” for Game 4 according to Quenneville.
The head coach himself nearly hit the injured list as he took a spill during the team’s morning skate Wednesday. Quenneville said he was fine and laughed it off after practice.
“The boys always have fun when the coach goes down,” he said with a grin.
The Blackhawks trail the Lightning 2-1 in the final series. They'll meet at the United Center Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET.
