Another Crow showlifts Hawks
Corey Crawford was flat on his back and without his stick in a tie game in the third period Tuesday night, accidentally tripped by teammateVinnie Hinostroza in amoment of confusion. Crawford, either in disbelief or in pain, was slow to get up but quickly realized the puck was still in play and that Derek MacKenzie was winding up to shoot.
Crawford lunged to his right and somehow swatted the puck with his hand, banking it off the post and back into his glove.
“I was pretty mad,” Crawford said.
He was grinning when he said that. Winning helps.
Crawford was spectacular yet again for the Blackhawks in their 2- 1 shootout victory Tuesday over the Florida Panthers. Richard Panik had the lone goal in regulation and the shootout winner, but this win was all Crawford — as so many of the Hawks’ wins this season have been.
“If it weren’t for him, the last couple of games would turn out differently, that’s for sure,” said Artemi Panarin, who had the other shootout goal. “We’re lucky to have him.”
Already down their top center, Jonathan Toews, the Hawks now have to be concerned about their No. 2 pivot. Artem Anisimov took a Duncan Keith shot off the inside of his ankle in the third period and limped off to the dressing room in obvious pain. Coach JoelQuenneville said he’d knowmoreWednesday, but “he seemed to be OK.”
Panarin called it a “sleepy game,” and it looked exactly like a team coming off a draining 13- night road trip and a team that just lost a popular coach it didn’t really want to lose. It was a disjointed, sloppy affair, with Crawford ( 38 saves) and Roberto Luongo ( 32 saves) doing the heavy lifting.
Beyond Crawford’s heroics, the Hawks followed their usual script in the first period, getting badly outshot yet still coming out with a lead thanks to Panik’s breakaway goal. It was the first goal since Oct. 22 for Panik, who led the league in goals after six games, and his first point in 13 games.
“It feels good,” Panik said. “It feels even better when we win.”
After a sluggish second and third, and a key penalty kill in overtime, the Hawks did what they’ve been doing all season— pulling out wins despite themselves.
“I thought our team was ordinary across the board,” Quenneville said. “One of those games you find a way to keep yourself in it.”
Having Crawford in goal certainly helps.