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Monday, December 6, 1999
Knee deep in hurt
Watching Senators lose too tough on Tugnutt
THERE'S nothing Ron Tugnutt hates more than feeling helpless.
But that's exactly the way the Senators goaltender has felt while he rests his injured knee.
Tugnutt, who hopes to return to the lineup Wednesday in Buffalo, has missed the team's last three games due to a left knee strain.
The Senators lost two of those three games and Tugnutt admitted there's nothing more difficult than knowing there was nothing he could do to help. The 32-year-old watched the Senators' 7-4 loss in New Jersey from his home and said he never felt more frustrated.
"I was just glad the kids were in bed," he said. "It was that much harder when you saw how things deteriorated."
Tugnutt believes this is the first time he's been forced to watch a game on television since joining the Senators four years ago.
"It's not fun," he added.
Tugnutt showed up at the rink Saturday morning telling Kevin Wagner, the team's head athletic trainer, he thought he was ready to play.
"I just want to be there," he said. "I want to be able to help."
Tugnutt was injured early in the second period of the team's 3-3 tie against Philadelphia eight days ago.
Tugnutt rested the knee for three days before returning to the ice and says it's improved. Tugnutt participated in a full practice Saturday morning and says the knee responded well to the strain.
Tugnutt originally injured the knee prior to training camp, but doesn't think it will be a recurring problem.
The use of anti-inflammatories seems to help ease some of the pain and Tugnutt has been told that taking them poses no threat to his health, which came as a relief. Prior to reinjuring the knee, Tugnutt had decided to stop taking the anti-inflammatories, worrying they might be affecting his health.
Tugnutt will have two days of practice prior to Wednesday's game to determine if his knee is ready to go.
Goaltending coach Phil Myre will be in town this week, which should be test enough for Tugnutt.
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