For the first time in a few weeks Corey Crawford was on the ice, taking shots from goaltending coach Jimmy Waite.
And while Crawford still has some time before he returns, it was a welcome sight en route to that point.
Crawford worked out prior to the team practice on Saturday and coach Joel Quenneville said the goaltender could take part in a practice soon as the Blackhawks prepped for the Boston Bruins. Quenneville wasn’t pegging a particular time for when Crawford could return, saying he’ll know more once Crawford takes part in a full practice. But he was encouraged by Saturday.
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“He felt good the last couple of days. Good to see him out there on the ice, good while he was out there and good afterward. Big first step here and I think he did a good job with it,” Quenneville said. “We’ll have a better idea [after he practices] but we expect him at some point here hopefully he gets in a game before [the playoffs].”
Until then, however, the Blackhawks are focused on their final four regular-season games, starting with Boston on Sunday morning. Scott Darling will start vs. the Bruins and Marian Hossa, who missed Friday’s game due to illness, will play.
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“I was under the weather the last couple days, and I just laid at home, low key. But right now I feel much better,” said Hossa. “Pretty good practice today, so ready to go.”
But the Blackhawks will be without Andrew Shaw, who’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury he sustained against the Winnipeg Jets on Friday. Quenneville did not deem Shaw’s injury serious.