STARTING GOALIES - FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1

From ESPN:

"(Blackhawks goalie) Corey Crawford has been solid in net with a 1.79 GAA after making 23 saves Wednesday, though it's unclear if he or backup Ray Emery will get the nod Friday with Chicago playing the next night in Calgary."

https://scores.espn.go.com/nhl/preview?gameId=400442580

For what it's worth... My common sence says they start Crawford vs the Nucks and Emery vs the Flames on Saturday.

My Notes: Emery has never faced the Nucks on the road.... In his career - Emery is 2-2 vs Calgary on the road with each of those 4 games coming while Emery was on a different team (CHI-ANA-PHI-OTT). He won while playing for ANA and PHI in Calgary... Emery has a 2.25 GAA when facing Calgary on the road. As a member of the Hawks team, he lost a 1-3 game at Calgary on 02/03/2012 which is the last time he faced them on the road. Emery faced Vancouver as a member of the Sens back in 2007 and lost that game in Ottawa by a 1-2 score to the Nucks and Luongo.

Crawford is 3-4 (1.85 GAA w/1 shutout) when facing the Nucks in Vancouver and all 7 games as a member of the Blackhawks. He is 1-1 vs Schneider winning 5-1 on 11/16/2011 and losing 2-3 on 01/31/2012. Crawford is 2-3 in Vancouver when facing Luongo and lost the L-meeting by a 1-2 score on 04/26/2011. He won the previous meeting by a 5-0 score on 04/21/2011. Prior to that Crawford was 1-2 at VAN with finals scores of 3-4 - 0-2 - 7-1(W).

The games shown above in RED font were during a playoff series won by the Nucks 4 games to 3.

Crawford is 0-2 for the Hawks when playing at Calgary having lost 2-5 on 11/18/2011 and also 1-3 on 02/07/2011.

Winnipeg(+145) at Tampa Bay(-165)

NOTE: Winnipeg - As a member of the NYIslanders... Montoya (Goalie-WPG) was 3-2 vs TB and the Over went 4-1 in those 5 games. He had games where he allowed 4,1,4,1 and 2 goals.

When facing TB on the road he was 1-2 (lost the L-2) for the Isles. The scores were 3-4 loss on 03/24/2012... 1-4 loss on 10/20/2011 and a 5-2 win on 03/22/2011.

Tampa Bay - Goalie - Lindback is 0-1 vs the WPG franchise in his career having lost 2-3 when a member of the Preds. The game was in Atlanta on 12/06/2010.

Minnesota(+110) at Anahiem(-130)

Minnesota is 7-13 SU and the TOTAL is 9-8-3 (O-U-P) in the L-20 meetings in Anahiem. The Wild have won thier L-3 trips to Anahiem by scores of 5-3, 3-2 and 3-2.

Probables - MIN-Backstrom vs ANA-Hiller

MIN - Backstrom is  2-6 SU when playing at Anahiem and the TOTAL was  2-3-3 (O-U-P) in those games with a 3.125 GAA. All these games were with him as a member of the Wild and date from 2006 to 2011. He is 2-2 in his L-4 there and won his L-trip by a 3-2 score on 11/13/2011. In these 8 games the Ducks scored 2,6,3,2,4,3,2,3 goals vs the Wild.

ANA - Hiller is 3-3 SU and the TOTAL was 4-1-1 (O-U-P) when playing in Anahiem vs the Wild in those games with a 3.16 GAA. Hiller is 3-1 in his L-4 at home vs the Wild but lost his L-game by a 3-5 score on 12/04/2011. In Hiller's 6 games vs Minnesota at Anahiem... The Wild scored 5,2,2,2,3,5 goals vs the Ducks.

Backstrom and Hiller have faced each other 3 times in Anahiem for thier current teams with Hiller and the Ducks holding a 2-1 edge in wins. The scores and dates are listed below.

12/12/2010 - Ducks win 6-2 (Over-5.5)

10/14/2009 - Ducks win 3-2 (Under-5.5)

03/08/2009 - Wild win 3-2 (Push-5)

https://twitter.com/mnwild/status/297435393794666497 tweets "Backstrom starts, same lineup expected"

after the wreck that Pavelec had last night in South Florida, I would be VERY suprised if Al Montoya didn't start @ Tampa.