Chicago Blackhawks starting goalie Corey Crawford needed help off the ice after hurting himself making a save during Sunday’s game against the Florida Panthers, CSNChicago.com’s Tracey Myers reports. Update: The team announced that Crawford won’t return from what is officially a lower-body injury.
Antti Raanta replaced him in the first period.
Crawford, 28, was hoping to bounce back from allowing four goals in each of his last two starts (both defeats). Overall, he’s carried the momentum from his Stanley Cup record-wise, with a 17-6-3 mark that makes his middling .906 save percentage easy to stomach.
Earlier on Sunday, it was easy for Blackhawks fans to shrug their shoulders regarding an update that Nikolai Khabibulin has been working out vigorously in hope of returning soon (although there is no timetable). If this is a significant problem with Crawford, the ‘Hawks might just need “The Bulin Wall.”