OFFICIAL: Scott Darling To Start Game 3
This is the right move. Corey Crawford had earned the opportunity to keep his job in Game 2 with his experience and play down the stretch. However, Crawford failed to seize that opportunity and he made this decision pretty simple.
Darling is playing better at the moment, and I believe that he is the better goalie between the two…period. Darling is bigger, he’s a better athlete, competes hard, and plays in a way that has a calming effect on the team. He was sensational in Game 1 with a 42 save shutout allowing the team to get the comeback win.
I like Crawford. I think he is better than people give him credit, but he’s always a bit of a roller coaster. He’s not a great athlete. He’s a guy that succeeds by playing proper angles and making himself big. When he’s at his best he’s aggressive. Not just aggressive in the sense that he’s on top of his crease, but he’s also physically confrontational. When Crawford is giving out whacks and battling every shot you know he’s confident and on his game. We haven’t seen that assertive Corey so far. Indecisive on the 2nd goal of game one, playing too deep in his net last night, down early, off his angles. He’s just not right at the moment. He has to be structurally perfect for him to be effective and even when he’s good, it doesn’t look easy for him. When he’s bad, he’s really bad.
There’s the old cliche that the Coach doesn’t decide who plays, the players do. And that’s what happened here. So it’s Darling’s job. Going back to December I said that Darling had a chance to “Wally Pipp” Crawford and it appears that’s what is happening. Hopefully Darling seizes his moment and doesn’t look back.
PS: Coach Q was non-c0mmital(shocker) on other lineup changes, but don’t be surprised if Vermette is in there tomorrow afternoon and possibly Rundblad or Cumiskey.