Chicago Blackhawks' Crawford struggling, but it's a team effort

During the first two months of this season, no Chicago Blackhawks player was hotter than Corey Crawford.

As his team built an impressive 16-6-3 record, Crawford stole 5 or 6 of those victories by playing some of the best hockey of his career.

Then came news that the veteran goalie would have to undergo an emergency appendectomy in Philadelphia on Dec. 3. Crawford missed 10 games and returned on Dec. 23, looking like he hadn't missed a beat in making 32 saves in a 2-1 overtime loss to Colorado at the United Center.

But while that night marked a fairly triumphant return, Crawford hasn't been his pre-surgery self, and he admitted as much to reporters last Saturday.

The numbers leave no doubt:

• Before surgery, Crawford went 12-6-2 with a .927 save percentage and a 2.27 goals-against average.

• Since returning, Crawford is 5-4-1 with a .903 save percentage and a 3.09 GAA.

The last three games have been particularly brutal as Crawford allowed 5 goals to the Capitals, 3 to Minnesota and 4 to Colorado, the second-lowest scoring team in the league.

After the Hawks' 6-4 victory over the Avs on Tuesday, coach Joel Quenneville admitted he thought about inserting Scott Darling after Matt Duchene scored late in the second period to give Colorado a 4-3 lead.

"It was under consideration," Quenneville told reporters. "It was a close game, and I like how (Crawford) battled through it."

As rusty as Crawford looks, though, we can't put all the blame on his shoulders. Defensive lapses have created many, many high-quality scoring chances for opponents.

Sometimes Crawford bails his team out, sometimes he doesn't.

A few examples from Tuesday:

• Colorado's first goal came on the power play when Nathan MacKinnon ripped a shot past Crawford from the top of the right circle. Duncan Keith, instead of making himself big and possibly blocking the shot, did the exact opposite and stood straight up as the puck was whistling by.

Maybe Keith wants Crawford to see the shot there, but had this been the playoffs, my guess is Keith steps in front and stops the puck cold.

• Early in the second period, MacKinnon nearly scored again after a bad Keith turnover, but Crawford managed to grab the point-blank attempt.

• Before Blake Comeau tied the game at 2-2 at 9:03 of the second, Nick Schmaltz failed to send the puck deep into the Hawks' offensive zone, and MacKinnon fed Comeau with a perfect pass. We can blame Schmaltz here for Colorado ending up with a prime chance, but Crawford should make this save.

• Just a minute later, a failed Brent Seabrook stretch pass ended up on Gabriel Landeskog's stick in the Avs' offensive zone. Landeskog found Mike Nieto, who was in behind the Hawks' D, and Nieto beat Crawford five-hole after driving hard to the net.

• Michal Kempny was beat on a speed rush by Duchene, who gave Colorado a 4-3 lead at 14:08 of the second.

The thing about all of these goals is none came on rebounds, and Crawford saw each one coming. We can't absolve the Hawks' defense either as all of these chances came either due to sloppy play or an unwillingness to step in front of a shot.

The bottom line is Crawford needs to find his pre-injury form when the postseason arrives. He knows it, and certainly the Hawks know it if they want to make a run at another Stanley Cup.