Upper case: Hawks goalie Corey Crawford day-to-day
BY MARK LAZERUS mlazerus@suntimes.com February 15, 2013 10:54PM
Corey Crawford, Brandon Bollig
Updated: March 17, 2013 6:46PM
Corey Crawford, the goalie who has backstopped the Blackhawks’ remarkable start, missed the morning skate and the game Friday with an upper-body injury. Coach Joel Quenneville declined to go into specifics, only saying that Crawford was day-to-day.
When asked if Crawford could return for the game Sunday afternoon against the Los Angeles Kings, Quenneville said, “We’ll see.”
Crawford was hit hard by Bobby Ryan with 2:20 left in the third period Tuesday against the Anaheim Ducks — Brent Seabrook shoved Ryan from behind, and Ryan’s knee hit Crawford in the head — but practiced Thursday. Quenneville didn’t say when the injury occurred.
“He didn’t feel great after practice,” Quenneville said. “I don’t know if it’s that [hit] or practice. I don’t know if it’s a defining blow.”
With Crawford out, Ray Emery got the victory against the San Jose Sharks to improve his record to 4-0.
Crawford has been hot from the start, posting a 7-0-3 record and allowing two or fewer goals in nine of his 10 starts. His 1.65 goals-against average is fourth-best in the league.
“[Crawford’s] the guy,” Emery said. “When I get in there, I don’t want there to be a letdown. I want to make them comfortable with giving him time off.
‘‘Whenever I get called upon, I’ve just got to be ready to go.”
The Hawks also called up goalie Henrik Karlsson from Rockford.
The 6-6 Karlsson was acquired last month from the Calgary Flames for a seventh-round draft pick. Karlsson has played in 26 NHL games over the last two seasons.
“It’s always a little bit weird when a guy gets injured,” Karlsson said of his opportunity. “But, obviously, it’s here I want to be.”
Karlsson played at the United Center two seasons ago when he replaced an ineffective Miikka Kiprusoff. He gave up one goal on 10 shots in the relief effort.
“I’m a pretty big guy, so I try to play a modern style of goaltending — try to block as many shots as possible, be square to the puck as much as possible,” he said.
Said Emery: “He’s a huge guy. We played against him, saw him a little bit. He’s a big body and gets in the way a lot. Good ’tender.”
