Corey Crawford will return to the Blackhawks? goal Friday against the Detroit Red Wings for the first time in eight days, and he?s eager to finally get back out there. Not because he feels he has lost his spot as the Hawks? No. 1 goalie, and not because he feels he needs to keep pace with Ray Emery, who has three shutouts in his last five starts.
?I just want to play because it?s fun to play,? Crawford said. ?I enjoy playing.?
The Hawks downplayed any notion of a goaltender controversy Thursday and played up the pleasant ?problem? of having two guys playing at an elite level.
?These guys, they want to be the guy,? coach Joel Quenneville said. ?But at the same time, they know when they?re not the guy, it?s all about the team.?
While Quenneville faces a potentially difficult decision for the playoffs, Crawford was a pretty easy choice for Friday. Besides the fact that his last start was eight long days ago, April 4 against the St. Louis Blues ? a 4-3 shootout loss ? Crawford has owned the Red Wings. He?s 10-2-2 lifetime against them, with a 1.82 goals-against average and .944 save percentage. The Hawks have won six in a row against their hated rivals, with Crawford starting five of them. This season, he has allowed only one goal in each of his three starts against Detroit, stopping 94 of 97 shots.
The question is, is Crawford still auditioning for the top spot in May and June? Crawford shrugged it off, saying the competition has benefitted both players and that neither is concerned or hurting for confidence with less than three weeks to go before the playoffs begin.
?I just want to play because it?s fun to play,? Crawford said. ?I enjoy playing.?
The Hawks downplayed any notion of a goaltender controversy Thursday and played up the pleasant ?problem? of having two guys playing at an elite level.
?These guys, they want to be the guy,? coach Joel Quenneville said. ?But at the same time, they know when they?re not the guy, it?s all about the team.?
While Quenneville faces a potentially difficult decision for the playoffs, Crawford was a pretty easy choice for Friday. Besides the fact that his last start was eight long days ago, April 4 against the St. Louis Blues ? a 4-3 shootout loss ? Crawford has owned the Red Wings. He?s 10-2-2 lifetime against them, with a 1.82 goals-against average and .944 save percentage. The Hawks have won six in a row against their hated rivals, with Crawford starting five of them. This season, he has allowed only one goal in each of his three starts against Detroit, stopping 94 of 97 shots.
The question is, is Crawford still auditioning for the top spot in May and June? Crawford shrugged it off, saying the competition has benefitted both players and that neither is concerned or hurting for confidence with less than three weeks to go before the playoffs begin.
