After strong Game 3, Darling gets start in goal again for Blackhawks
Joel Quenneville's "no-brainer" decision to start Corey Crawford in Game 2 hinged on Crawford's body of work rather than his rare poor performance in Game 1.
Now that Scott Darling continues to shine in each opportunity he's given, Quenneville is living more in the moment.
Darling will get his second straight start in net as the Chicago Blackhawks look to take a 3-1 series lead over the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night.
Crawford, who guided the Blackhawks to the Stanley Cup in 2013 and shared the Jennings Trophy this season, allowed three goals on 12 shots in the first period of Game 1 before Darling stopped all 42 he faced in Chicago's 4-3 double-overtime victory.
Despite Darling's effort, Quenneville didn't hesitate to give Crawford the start two nights later. Crawford, though, allowed three third-period goals within three minutes in the Blackhawks' 6-2 defeat, opening the door for Darling to start Game 3 on Sunday in Chicago.
Darling's 35-save effort in a 4-2 win prompted Quenneville to go back to the journeyman rookie for Game 4.
"He doesn't get rattled or change his demeanor no matter what the situation is," Quenneville said. "We all know the importance of goaltending and at this time of the season how it gets magnified in that position. It's tough to make a change when you like everything about the game and he played so well. He's very deserving and it was an easy choice."
The native of suburban Chicago is taking all the attention in stride and has maintained that Crawford has been supportive throughout the process.
"I'm just happy that it's gone well so far and that we're getting wins," Darling said. "I didn't have any time to think about it (in Game 1), but when you know you're going to play you have time to get prepared."
Darling had his low points in Game 3, holding Chicago's first two leads for only a combined 53 seconds before allowing the equalizers. Brandon Saad put the Blackhawks ahead for good early in the second period.
Pekka Rinne made 26 saves for the Predators but has a less-than-impressive .898 save percentage in the series.
"We want to just keep creating and having that traffic in front of him and making things difficult on him," said Jonathan Toews, who scored and assisted on Brent Seabrook's goal in the second. "He's going to step his game up and be better in the next couple games."
While Toews has five points in Chicago's two wins and none in its lone loss, Nashville points leader Filip Forsberg had a goal and an assist in Game 2 but was held off the scoresheet in both of the Predators' defeats.
Nashville played its first of at least two games without top defenseman Shea Weber, who is out with a lower-body injury. The Predators had trouble containing Chicago's speed.
"They didn't give us a lot and they played a fast game all night," defenseman Cody Franson said. "Puck management is big against these guys, and with that amount of skill that they have up front, it's paramount to manage the puck well."
The Blackhawks made lineup changes in Game 3, with Antoine Vermette and Andrew Desjardins, who scored the game's first goal, seeing their first action of the series.
Nashville coach Peter Laviolette is focused only on how his club can improve no matter who takes the ice for Chicago.
"There are things we can do better and we can play better," Laviolette said. "I believe that, and we'll look to fix some things and come back and look to even the series."
