Corey Crawford on the comeback trail, and the Blackhawks need him

Coach Joel Quenneville was certain of Corey Crawford’s availability for the Blackhawks’ playoff opener.

“Absolutely,” Quenneville said after Tuesday’s morning skate prior to the Hawks’ game against the Phoenix Coyotes at the United Center.

But Crawford, who has not played since March 14 — 5-0 loss to the Los Angeles Kings at the United Center — took a more careful approach. “I’d love to [start Game 1 of the first round series], but there’s no rush. It’s literally day by day.”

Though Crawford’s return appears imminent, the two-time Stanley Cup-winning goalie’s participation in practice for the first time since his upper-body injury was announced on March 17 was more like one small step on the road to recovery than a declaration that “I’m back.” Crawford was as tenuous as he was hopeful after practicing, staying positive but sprinkling his comments with “right now” and “so far” when discussing his comeback.

“Right now I feel pretty good,” he said Tuesday, as if tomorrow might be different. “I was seeing pucks well. I was moving well. Moving pretty quick and everything and that perspective has been fine so far. So I’m just going to keep progressing every day.

“This has been good the last few days. The workouts have been really good. The ice has been really good. Practice felt good — that was a long one, too, so [I’m a] little tired from that. I’m itchin’ to get back in there.”

If Crawford doesn’t return until Game 1 of the first-round series in the playoffs, Crawford will have been off for 30 days. He and Quenneville are hoping Crawford can get a tune-up in the regular-season finale Saturday against the Blue Jackets in Columbus.

“Yeah, there’s a chance [of playing Saturday],” Crawford said. “If I’m there or if I feel like I’m at that game timing and pace, why not?”

Crawford, who has been day-to-day for 20 days and counting, was loathe to discuss details of his latest injury. “How did it happen? I’m not going to talk about that,” he said. “Right now I want to be positive and think bout what’s been going good for me right now and getting better.”

But it appears that it’s been an arduous recovery. Teammate Jonathan Toews seemed to indicate as much when asked how good it was to see Crawford back on the ice.

“Absolutely [it was good to see Crawford back],” Toews said. “It shows progress. I think sometimes it can get frustrating if you feel you’re seeing some recovery and then all of the sudden you regress on other days. But it’s good to have Crow back out there with the boys and know that he’s on the right path.”

Toews reiterated his faith in back-ups Scott Darling and Michael Leighton. But deep down he’s got to know the reality that the Hawks’ best chance of repeating as Stanley Cup champions — or getting to the conference final — lie with Crawford, whose value to the team is at an all-time high. Crawford is expected to be a Vezina Trophy finalist, with a 35-18-4 record, 2.32 goals-against average and .926 save percentage. He was named to Team Canada for the World Cup of Hockey in Toronto in September.

But the recognition that means most to Hawks fans is that the Hawks are unlikely to win without him. Darling is 5-3-1, with a 2.75 goals-against average and .912 goals-against average in nine consecutive starts in place of Crawford going into Tuesday night’s game against the Coyotes. But he’s been workmanlike more than spectacular. His victories have come against the Jets, Flames, Canucks, Jets and struggling Bruins.

“I think he’s had a couple of OK games but for the most part he’s been good,” Quenneville said of Darling prior to the Bruins game.

For the record, the Hawks’ most recent impressive victories against playoff-caliber teams all have come with Crawford in goal — the Red Wings (4-1 and 5-2), the Capitals (3-2), Rangers (5-3), Stars (5-1), Blues (2-0) and Predators (4-1). In Crawford’s 57 starts, the Hawks have won 16 games while scoring three goals or fewer (28.1 percent). In Darling’s 22 starts, they have won two (9.1 percent).

As Darling proved last season, he can steal a huge game or two in the playoffs, but for the long haul, it’s Crawford or bust for the Hawks.