Hawks’ Kopecky skates, but won’t play in Game 7

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Forward Tomas Kopecky skated with Chicago Blackhawks teammates during Tuesday’s morning skate in preparation for Game 7 of the Western Conference quarterfinals against the Vancouver Canucks, but isn’t yet ready to rejoin the lineup.

Kopecky, who had 15 goals and 27 assists in 81 regular-season games for the Hawks, hasn’t played after suffering an upper-body injury during Game 1.

“(It was) nice to see him get a good skate in, but he’s not playing,” Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said.

Rookie Marcus Kruger and veteran Fernando Pisani are possibilities to join the Hawks’ lineup, which will be without Bryan Bickell, who had surgery to repair tendons in right wrist Monday after being injured in Game 2 when he was cut by the skate of the Canucks’ Sami Salo.

“We got three games out of Bickell prior to him having surgery,” Quenneville said of the winger, who had been very solid playing with linemates Dave Bolland and Michael Frolik. “We knew that was the case. I thought he gave us three solid games and that line was really effective. We didn’t know what to expect when we first put it together but it was a great surprise the first game and they played pretty solid ones after that. But give somebody some quality ice time (Tuesday night) and a good opportunity to play with a couple guys that have been playing well as well.”

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