May 20--ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Given that Corey Crawford kept the Blackhawks tied with the Ducks deep into the third overtime of an eventual 3-2 victory in Game 2, you might say he got a break or two -- or three.
Three times during the overtime sessions, Ducks players hit either the post or the crossbar on shots that could have given Anaheim the win and a 2-0 series lead. But Crawford still was superb in net, outdueling Frederik Anderson by making 60 saves to send the best-of-seven series back to Chicago tied 1-1.
"I think as the game goes on, you're able to stay with it," Crawford said. "The ice was getting a little chippy at the end there. I don't know. It seemed like every time a chance came, everyone was on their toes, hopin' for it. That was a weird play to finish."
Crawford was referring to Marcus Kruger's rebound goal in the third overtime, a goal that would not have happened if not for some body-extending, heart-palpitating saves from Crawford that preceded it.
"I thought he was outstanding," coach Joel Quenneville said of Crawford. "Quick, alert, handled the puck, rebound control, challenged. He made a couple gigantic saves."
When told after the game that it was the longest game in Blackhawks history, Crawford replied: "It felt like it."
It was the 17th-longest game in NHL history.
"We played hard throughout the whole thing and we had some chances," Crawford said. "They had some that went off the post. Both sides were so close. That was just a great hockey game to watch."
