-HEADLINE-
Yzerman says he won't play unless pain eases
-DESCRIPTION-
    DETROIT (AP) _ The Detroit Red Wings expect captain Steve Yzerman to recover from a knee injury in time for the second half of the season, a team spokesman said Thursday.

    Yzerman is expected back in February, ``and Steve expects to be back then, if not sooner,'' spokesman John Hahn said.
-SUBGRAFS-
    The 37-year-old Yzerman had knee surgery for the third time in two years on Aug. 2. The Red Wings said the operation, performed by Dr. Peter Fowler, was a success.

    ``I want to play, but I accept the fact that if it hurts too much, you get to the point where it doesn't make sense,'' Yzerman told the Detroit News. ``If I get to that point, I won't play. Common sense would take over.''

    Yzerman, who helped lead Detroit to its third Stanley Cup in six seasons, chose a realignment procedure rather than reconstruction of the right knee.
-CITY-
DETROIT
-ARRIVALDATE-
08/08/2002
-ARRIVALTIME-
23:04:00
-CATEGORY-
Sports
-SLUG-
HKN--Red Wings-Yzerman
-SOURCE-
AP