Crawford Day-to-Day With Injury, Raanta to Start vs. Flyers

The Chicago Blackhawks will be looking to continue their solid start to the season Tuesday night when they tangle with the Philadelphia Flyers at the United Center, but they will be doing so without their starting goaltender as Corey Crawford will miss the game with an upper-body injury.

Antti Raanta will make his first start of the season Tuesday in place of Crawford, and backing him up will be Scott Darling, who was called up from the Rockford IceHogs. In two games this season in Rockford, Darling has a 2-0-0 record with a 1.44 GAA and a .948 save percentage. He also was perfect for the Blackhawks during the preseason, stopping all 27 shots he faced.

Crawford’s injury (or illness, depending on which member of the Hawks’ organization you’re listening to), comes on the heels of some really solid play to begin the year. He’s started all four games for the Blackhawks so far, posting a 3-0-1 record with a 1.66 GAA and a .926 save percentage. He’s especially looked good when the pressure has been at its highest, helping the Blackhawks to an opening night win over the Dallas Stars, so to lose him now is definitely an unwelcome surprise.

Raanta did play in both games against the Flyers last season, winning in Chicago and dropping an overtime decision in Philadelphia. He allowed five goals on 67 shots against in those two games. 

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