Red Wings' Kronwall injures knee
Defenceman could miss at least 2 weeks after 'dirty hit' by Laraque
Last Updated: Sunday, November 22, 2009 | 3:05 AM ET
By Doug Harrison, CBC Sports
Red Wings defenceman Niklas Kronwall is helped off of the ice after being tripped by Georges Laraque in the first period. (Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images)Niklas Kronwall could miss at least two weeks of action and the Detroit Red Wings want Montreal to pay.
The Swedish defenceman suffered a suspected strain of the medial collateral ligament in his left knee Saturday night on what the Red Wings believe was a dirty hit by Canadiens tough guy Georges Laraque.
"Right now our guess is he's out a minimum of two weeks, but we won't know until we get the pictures of the extent of the injury," Detroit general manager Ken Holland told reporters following his team's 3-2 win.
Kronwall, the Red Wings' top scoring blue-liner this season with 13 points in 20 games entering Saturday's action, is expected to have an MRI on Sunday.
Laraque threw his left knee out and tripped Kronwall at 8:52 of the first period.
"It was an accident," Laraque said. "That's why the referees called a two-minute minor for tripping and nothing more."
That explanation didn't wash with Detroit forward Henrik Zetterberg.
"It doesn't belong here and it's sad that it's still going on," he said. "He was late [on his check], he saw he was late and he just put out his leg. It was a bad hit and he should be out of the game."
Said Holland: "Was it knee to knee? Yes. Was it a dirty hit? Yes, I thought it was a dirty play. I have no comment on the referees because I have the luxury to look at it in slow motion. But it was knee to knee and it was a dirty play, and it's a play we don't want in hockey."
The Red Wings, who improved their record to 11-6-4, already are minus forwards Johan Franzen (torn knee ligament), Valtteri Filppula (broken right wrist) and Jason Williams (fractured right fibula) long-term.
