-HEADLINE-
Yzerman says he's gradually improving
-DESCRIPTION-
    DETROIT (AP) _ Steve Yzerman is feeling better with every game he plays.

    The Detroit Red Wings captain has been back for four games after he missed the first five months of the season because of offseason surgery to realign his right knee.
-SUBGRAFS-
    ``I find myself getting a little more comfortable,'' said Yzerman, who is in his 20th NHL season _ all with the Red Wings. ``I spend less time thinking about my knee.''

    In Detroit's 3-2 victory over Tampa Bay on Wednesday, Yzerman played 17 minutes, 32 seconds _ the most action he's seen since his return.

    ``He played a little bit more than I thought he would,'' coach Dave Lewis said. ``I don't know how he got out there all of those times.''

    Yzerman, 37, also logged 3:32 of power-play time and 3:31 killing penalties. He said the more he plays, the more patient he will become with the puck.

    ``I think when you're really comfortable on the ice, you hold on to the puck until the last second,'' Yzerman said. ``But I find myself forcing things.''

    He has two assists, has a plus-one rating, and has six penalty minutes in four games.

    Yzerman described the Aug. 2 operation that involved sawing into the bone below his knee and using a wedge to realign the joint.

    ``They made me more bowlegged is what they did,'' he said. ``A person who is more knock kneed puts more weight on the outside of the knee. And if you're bowlegged, you bear more on the inside and that's where the ligament is strongest in my knee.

    ``I was slightly bowlegged. Now, I'm slightly more bowlegged.''

    Detroit has won seven straight and 10 of 11 to move past St. Louis into first place in the Central Division.

    The Red Wings and the Blues meet Friday in Detroit for the first of three remaining games between the teams. Detroit won the first two games against St. Louis.

    It's possible that Detroit will have both center Sergei Fedorov and defenseman Chris Chelios available. Both have missed two games with injuries, but practiced Thursday and said they felt good enough to play.

    Rookie defenseman Dmitri Bykov will likely not play. His eye was swollen shut on Thursday after he was cut on his left eyelid and top of his nose by a high stick against Tampa Bay.
-CITY-
DETROIT
-ARRIVALDATE-
03/07/2003
-ARRIVALTIME-
00:58:39
-CATEGORY-
Sports
-SLUG-
HKN--Red Wings-Yzerman
-SOURCE-
AP