The series between the Los Angeles Kings and the Chicago Blackhawks could come down to the goalie play. Both Jonathan Quick and Corey Crawford are award winning goaltenders and both have struggled in the Western Conference Finals through two games. With the series tied and back in Los Angeles, who protects the goal better?
Game 2 was rough for Crawford. He allowed six goals in the final 22 minutes of the game. He was credited for five of those goals, totaling his worst goals-against average of the season. Crawford knows what it is like to have to bounce back from a bad performance and will not let the criticism play a factor in his preparation.
"We've said a million times, not everything is going to go your way all the time," Crawford said, via ESPN.com. "So we've got to keep playing hard, keep playing the way you can."
Crawford has been taking most of the blame for any collapse by the Blackhawks this postseason. When the team gave away to late leads that led to overtime losses, the goalie took the fall. However he bounced back with nine wins in 11 games. His save percentage and goals-against average are still the best in the Western Conference during this postseason. They are better than what Quick is putting up as well.
Quick has seen his ups and downs so far during the playoff run. He gave up 17 goals in the first three playoff games this spring. Los Angeles then upped their defense to try and adjust. Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Sharp struggled against the Kings in Game 2 resulting in the game-tying win. Kane has just one goal in the last seven games while Sharp has just two in 14 playoff games.
The Kings will not bank on home-ice advantage because the Staples Center has only offered some relief. Los Angeles is 3-3 in the arena during the postseason. Los Angeles is battling the defending champions and know better than anyone the pressure and motivation there is to repeat as champs. The Chicago Blackhawks have to start scoring to make that happen.
