Crawford trying to play it smart

When asked what it's like to miss multiple games because of injury, Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford didn't sugarcoat it.

"I don't know if there's anything worse in sports than when you're injured and you're watching the game in the room or on TV," Crawford said. "It's pretty frustrating. I just want to get out there."

Crawford's missed the last five games with an upper-body injury as Antti Raanta and Lemont product Scott Darling have manned the nets.

For the first time since the injury, Crawford was on the ice with his teammates during Tuesday's morning skate before the Hawks fell 1-0 to Anaheim at the United Center. He faced some shots toward the end of the skate but admitted his timing was "a little bit off."

Coach Joel Quenneville said Crawford, who is off to a solid start with a .926 save percentage in four games, will make the trip to Ottawa for Thursday's game against the Senators.

"I just want to get out there and play," Crawford said, "but you have to be smart, too, and make sure I'm 100 percent before I go."

Second chance:

Goalie Scott Darling's performance in the Hawks' 2-1 victory over Ottawa on Sunday earned him another start Tuesday against Anaheim. And the 6-foot-6, 232-pound rookie was solid again, stopping all but 1 shot by the Ducks.

Darling, who owns a .966 save percentage in his two games, has impressed many in the Hawks' organization as he climbed over Michael Leighton in Rockford to earn this opportunity.

After Tuesday's game, coach Joel Quenneville was asked if Darling's play might earn him even more playing time.

"It gives us something to think about anyway," Quenneville said. "It's a good situation. We like tough decisions."

Said fellow goalie Corey Crawford: "He worked hard in camp and he was one of the better guys, I thought. (It's) nice to see a guy get a chance and play well and get a win (Sunday vs. Ottawa), especially with where he's from. He's a great guy, too, so I was happy for him."

Adjusting:

It has been a rough opening month for Brad Richards, whom the Hawks signed in the off-season to a one-year, $2 million contract. Richards, who has yet to score this season, is a 15-year NHL veteran and is used to playing 18-20 minutes a game but has been under 14 minutes in six of the last seven contests.

"You get used to playing meaningful minutes game in, game out," coach Joel Quenneville said. "And then all of a sudden you're sitting there watching five or six minutes and you're a little bit older, you've got to play it a little bit different.

"We expect everybody to play the right way, and that's the way we play. Systematically, he's got to push himself to play that system."

He said it:

"No, I still remember the years past. There's not going to be any less hatred towards them this time around."

- Anaheim's Ryan Kesler, remembering heated playoff battles with the Hawks during his time in Vancouver