Darling, Hossa lead Blackhawks over Bruins
There's nothing more fun for fans - and the media, for that matter - than a quarterback controversy in the NFL or a goalie controversy in the NHL.
As we know, the backup can often be the most popular guy in town.
Well, we won't go there yet with the Blackhawks, but Scott Darling is making quite a case for himself almost every time coach Joel Quenneville gives him the net, and Friday night was certainly no different during a 1-0 victory in Boston.
Marian Hossa scored the only goal of the game - with 83 seconds left off a fantastic feed from Tanner Kero - and Darling made 30 saves for his second shutout of the season.
So, does the Lemont native think he's earned more starts thanks to a 12-4-2 record and a .928 save percentage that ranks fifth in the NHL among goalies with 20 or more appearances?
Not exactly.
"I don't know if you guys know who my goalie partner is," Darling told reporters, "but he's one of the best goalies in the world, hands down."
There's no doubt about that as Corey Crawford has won two Stanley Cups and was playing some of the best hockey of his career during the first third of this season. Crawford hasn't looked like his pre-surgery self, though, since having his appendix removed on Dec. 3.
Quenneville was asked two times who will start in net against Vancouver on Sunday and said, "We'll see" both times.
As for his thoughts on Darling ...
"Certainly helped himself in a big way today with a big 60 minutes because those first 20 he definitely kept us in the game," Quenneville said. "They get one or two (goals) early and we should have been behind the whole game. Put us in a good spot late and did what he had to do.
"He was big in the net, and certainly loved his game."
Said Hossa: "It's unreal the way he's always ready when he's not playing for (a long) time."
The Hawks were badly outplayed in the first period, and Darling had to make 16 saves in the first 16 minutes.
Tuukka Rask made 21 saves for Boston, with 12 coming on shots by Patrick Kane (5), Jonathan Toews (4) and Duncan Keith (3).
Kero set up Hossa's tally by sliding a pass between the legs of Boston's Adam McQuaid in front of the net, which allowed Hossa to tap the puck into a wide-open net for his 17th goal - and fifth game-winner - of the season.
"We'll call him clutch, knowing that the timing has been outstanding for him and for us," Quenneville said. "He goes to the net. Great play at the net, finding a way to get through. A lot of his goals have been right at that doorstep, which is a nice place to be."
Kero, who was called up from Rockford on Dec. 22, has 6 points in the last six games.
The Hawks (29-14-5) went 2-0 on their mini-road trip and are tied with Minnesota atop the Central Division, although the Wild has four games in hand. The Hawks are also 18-7-5 in one-goal games.