The Chicago Blackhawks have been a strong puck-possession team for several seasons.
Due to the high skill level of players like Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp, Marian Hossa, Brandon Saad, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook, head coach Joel Quenneville knows his team is going to control the puck and get the majority of the scoring chances in most games.
That means play will often remain in the opposition's end for long stretches and Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford will often go several minutes between forays into Chicago's zone.
That may sound like an advantage for any goalie because no opponent can score when the Blackhawks are controlling the puck in the offensive zone, but it also creates issues. A goalie who is not facing shots can lose his focus and concentration.
Crawford knows that it's a situation that he is going to see on a regular basis this season.
"It's going to happen again," Crawford told Mike Spellman of the Daily Herald. "We have really good puck possession a lot of the time, so there's going to be times again where I go 10 minutes without a shot.
"I just have ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Steve Silverman
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