Corey Crawford silenced all doubters with a 30 save shutout for the Blackhawks on Tuesday night. Patrick Kane provided the only offense as Chicago moved to within one game of eliminating the Wild with a 1-0 victory.
In registering his fourth career playoff shutout, Crawford almost single handedly earned the victory according to his coach.
“It was a great game for him and it was a goalie win,” said Joel Quenneville. “He was very effective with his rebound control.”
As many predicted, the Wild came out in front of a supercharged crowd and controlled the pace early in the first period. Minnesota benefitted from an early Chicago penalty and looked to have all the momentum at the 7:42 mark. The once dangerous Wild playoff power play was stopped down without a shot registered.
Minutes later the game, possibly the series, momentum shifted for good when Jared Spurgeon was called for tripping. The Blackhawks power play wasted little time going to work. Patrick Sharp flubbed the puck to Andrew Shaw at the Minnesota blue line. Shaw was able to glide the puck to the streaking Kane.
Somehow, the skilled winger settled the bouncing puck and in one motion launched a wrist shot toward the net. Goalie Devin Dubnyk left the five-hole open, and the puck slid through at 14:06.
“He’s got a hot stick, he’s dangerous,” said Quenneville. “He gives a lot of different looks to the goalie that you don’t know where it’s coming off his stick.”
Following the lone goal, the once raucous Xcel Energy Center spent most of the night near quiet. A few times the Wild mounted offensive chances, but overall Chicago controlled the pace of play through 40 minutes.
Quennevile like his teams style, “If you play smart, safe, reliable, predictable you’re going to have some success against them.”
The third period pitted a desperate Wild club vs. a defensive minded Chicago team. The Wild spent most of the third period inside the Blackhawks’ zone, but Crawford came up with 10 saves.
The Blackhawks will try to end the Wild’s season for the third straight year, in St. Paul on Thursday night. The late puck drop is at 8:30 p.m. Central Time.
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