Hawks’ Crawford ‘trying to find answers’

Corey Crawford looked and sounded like a beaten man when he faced reporters after Blackhawks practice Thursday.

Getting pulled in back-to-back games will do that to a goalie.

“Obviously it’s a tough time right now where I can’t even finish a game,” Crawford said. “I battled hard in practice today and I’ve just got to keep working hard and stay focused — I don’t want it to get worse than it is right now.

“I’ve never been through this since I started playing goalie. I’ve gone on streaks where they’re a little bit tougher but to be up and down this drastically ... I’m trying to find answers; maybe I’m thinking too much.”

Hawks coach Joel Quenneville sounded cautiously optimistic that his second-year goalie can and will regain his form — and confidence — entering the final month of the season.

”That stretch where we weren’t winning games, he came out of it and I thought he had four excellent games,” Quenneville said. “Now he’s coming out of a couple of games where you want to make sure, ‘Hey, fight through it, find a way. Mentally and physically, fight through it. Don’t give in to it. Look forward and find the confidence that you had before.’

“It can be restored quickly and I think that’s what we’re up for.”

In the meantime Ray Emery, who made 23 saves in relief of Crawford in Wednesday’s 5-4 victory over Toronto, will start in goal when the Hawks kick off a three-game road trip Friday night in Ottawa.

“I thought Razer played a real good game in relief,” Quenneville said. “He also did an excellent job in Anaheim. He’s had three real good games, so he deserves a chance to keep going here.”

Emery is just hoping for more of the same when he gets between the pipes against the Senators.

“I try to play pretty consistent in there, not try to do too much,” he said. “It’s the same mindset all the time. It’s not going to change.”

That’s the mindset the Hawks are looking for from Crawford, who had such a stellar rookie season.

Could he be suffering through the dreaded sophomore slump?

“He had good stretches this year; maybe we’re comparing him to that standard he had last year which was real good for us and instrumental in us getting to the playoffs,” Quenneville said. “He was relied upon at a critical time of the year and delivered in his rookie year.”

What a difference a year makes.

When he was replaced by Emery on Wednesday after allowing 3 goals on 10 shots, it marked the seventh time that Crawford has been pulled from a game.

“A game like (Wednesday) night gets your attention,” Quenneville admitted.

“There are a lot of situations where teams get chances and you’re able to come up with a couple key saves or something,” Crawford said. “(Wednesday) it just didn’t happen. I’ve got a find a way to make a stop there.

“It’s just not acceptable. I’ve got to be better for us. We’re fighting for a playoff spot and I’ve got to find a way to make big saves. It doesn’t matter the situation.”