GLENDALE, Ariz.Corey Crawford had a solid 2013 debut in the Chicago Blackhawks 5-2 victory over Los Angeles on Saturday. But with a busy schedule, coach Joel Quenneville turns to his backup for tonight.
Ray Emery will get the start in goal when the Blackhawks play the Phoenix Coyotes tonight at Jobing.Com Arena. It was a bit of a surprise, only because were just two games into the season. But with the 48-game schedule being as tight as it is, Quenneville wanted to go with Emery.
With the back-to-back games, with six games in nine days, we want to get Ray in a game, get him part of the team right off the bat and get a game under his belt as well, Quenneville said Sunday morning. He played well for us when he played for us last year, as well.
Emery was solid last season, and provided strong relief when Crawford struggled. The Blackhawks will have a fast-and-furious schedule these next few weeks, and that includes a lot of road games. Last week, he said a few factors could dictate how he split Crawford and Emerys time, including necessary rest, back-to-backs and playing the hot hand.
Even or not, with back-to-backs theyll (both) get a chance to play, he said. The way they play dictates how often they play. A lot of decisions come into if theyre playing well and if we need to monitor their rest.