Crawford not about to fret over two rough outings
Corey Crawford has never been one to let a bad goal get him down.
Or a bad period. Or a bad game.
So despite allowing 9 goals in losses to Philadelphia and San Jose to open the season, it was business as usual for the Blackhawks' goaltender during practice at Fifth Third Ice Arena on Friday as the team prepared to face Winnipeg on Saturday.
"I can't dwell on anything," Crawford said. "The more you dwell on stuff, the more you let it carry over. Carry over into practice, carry over into morning skate. You know what I mean?
"It kind of builds up and then your confidence just isn't where it should be."
Crawford, now in his 10th season between the pipes for the Hawks, has won 244 regular-season games and 48 more in the playoffs.
He went just 14-18-5 with a career-worst 2.93 goals-against average in 2018-19, however, while dealing with another concussion.
He looked good against the Flyers in the season opener in Prague, but also allowed 2 goals he'd probably like to have back. The Sharks then came to the United Center on Thursday and doubled their season goal total in a 5-4 victory.
In both games, Crawford was victimized when a puck deflected off a teammate and found its way into the net. The Hawks have also allowed 3 power-play goals.
"Obviously a goalie wants to keep (the goals) down to zero, one, two every game," Crawford said. "You don't ever want to go over that.
"But the league's just trending towards these high-scoring games. What do you want? Do you want high-scoring games? Do you want to blame goalies? I'm trying to do what I'm supposed to do and get as much extra as I can to give our team a chance to win."
The numbers back Crawford up.
Between 2010-17, teams averaged between 2.71 and 2.79 goals per game, according to hockeyreference.com. Two years ago that number spiked to 2.97, it rose to 3.01 last season and it sits at 3.26 this season in the 57 games played through Thursday.
The numbers are rising in part because the league is filled with quicker, faster players and the level of physicality has drastically decreased.
But rule changes - like ones that have streamlined the goalie's equipment - are helping as well.
Here are two rules that were implemented this season:
• If a defender causes a stoppage by unintentionally dislodging the net from its moorings, his team will not be permitted to make a line change. The offensive team then has the choice of which end zone dot the faceoff will take place.
• After an icing and at the beginning of a power play, the offensive team has the choice of which dot the faceoff will take place.
"They're making little rules that just give teams a better chance," Crawford said. "It's just things that trickle towards (more offense)."
Lehner to face Jets?
There's a good chance goalie Robin Lehner will make his Hawks debut when they host Winnipeg on Saturday.
"Could be," coach Jeremy Colliton said. "We'll announce tomorrow."
Lehner, who signed a one-year, $5 million deal in July, went 25-13-5 with a 2.13 goals-against average for the Islanders last season.
Line shuffling:
With the Hawks off to an 0-2-0 start, Jeremy Colliton decided to make some fairly drastic changes to the forward lines at practice Friday.
The top line had Jonathan Toews centering Alex DeBrincat and Drake Caggiula, while the second line had Dylan Strome centering Andrew Shaw and Patrick Kane. The extremely effective third line remained the same with David Kampf centering Brandon Saad and Dominik Kubalik.
Meanwhile, Brendan Perlini slotted in for Alex Nylander on the fourth line with Ryan Carpenter and Zack Smith.
"Didn't like how we played overall," Colliton said of the Hawks' 5-4 loss to San Jose. "We had our moments where we were good. I just think our game was too lose, so that's the message.
"It's not so much about the combos, it's how we play shift to shift."
Slap shots:
Defenseman Calvin de Haan, who has missed the first two games with a groin injury, practiced Friday and might be able to face Winnipeg. … The Hawks have lost six of seven games to the Jets (two in overtime). Their lone victory was a 6-2 triumph in the "Scott Foster game" on March 29, 2018. Foster made 7 saves in an emergency appearance when Collin Delia cramped up in the third period.
Blackhawks vs. Winnipeg Jets at United Center, 6 p.m.
TV: NBC SportsChicago
Radio: WGN 720-AM
The skinny: Winnipeg (3-2-0) has won its last two games by a combined 9-3 score. The Jets scored 3 unanswered goals in a 5-2 victory over Minnesota on Thursday, with Patrik Laine sealing the deal with his second goal of the game with 2:29 remaining. Laine leads the Jets with 10 points. … Veteran defenseman Dustin Byfuglien remains away from the team as he mulls retirement. … The Hawks allowed 20 goals to Winnipeg last season while going 0-2-2. Jonathan Toews and Erik Gustafsson both had 5 points against the Jets in those games. … In the Hawks' 5-4 loss to San Jose on Thursday, Andrew Shaw became the 11th player in NHL history to score 2 or more goals in a home debut in their second stint with a team.
Next: Edmonton Oilers at United Center, 7:30 p.m. Monday