Morning Bag Skate: Corey Crawford is carrying Blackhawks this season

The Chicago Blackhawks have one more day off before playing their first game of a back-to-back Saturday in Minnesota. The Wild defeated Montreal 6-3 on Thursday at home.

HAWKS

**Crawford, 3 other goaltenders carrying their teams right now (SBN)

**Franson adds some muscle to Blackhawks power play (Chicago Tribune)

**Performance bonuses not as much of a concern for Hawks this season (The Athletic)

**Blackhawks defensemen need to go on the offensive (Chicago Sun Times)

**RECAP: Hawks soar past Flyers (SCH)

**Are we getting more of the same from the Blackhawks? (SCH)

CENTRAL DIVISION

**RECAP: Scheifele gets hat trick, lifts Jets past Stars (NHL.com)

**RECAP: Wild score 6 in win over Canadiens (Hockey Wilderness)

**RECAP: Neuvirth, Flyers shut out Blues (St. Louis GameTime)

**Schenn has benefited from trade to Blues, but scouts, advanced stats speak to self improvement (The Athletic)

**Berglund working his way back from shoulder surgery (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

**RECAP: Varlamov makes 57 saves in Avs win over ‘Canes (Mile High Hockey)

**Avs youth movement found a home; dinner is decided over a Ping-Pong game (The Denver Post)

NHL

**Lost in translation: How players bridge hockey's language barrier (ESPN)

**RECAP: Kuraly, Bruins defeat Golden Knights (NHL.com)

**RECAP: Eller's second goal gets Capitals past Islanders (Japers’ Rink)

**RECAP: Stone, Senators hold off Red Wings (Silver Seven)

**RECAP: Miller’s OT goal sends Rangers by Lightning (Blueshirt Banter)

**RECAP: Blue Jackets score 7 in win over Panthers (Jackets Cannon)

**RECAP: Giordano, Flames top Penguins in OT (Matchsticks and Gasoline)

**How Flames’ Gaudreau got his groove back (The Athletic)

**RECAP: Pouliot scores twice, Sabres hold off Coyotes (NHL.com)

**RECAP: Kings defeat Maple Leafs to match best start in their history (NHL.com)

**Stamkos may never ‘feel 100 percent again’ (Sportsnet)

**Could the Devils be for real? (All About The Jersey)

**Ovechkin announces creation of social movement supporting Russian President Vladimir Putin (The Washington Post)

**Shipachyov back in Russia awaiting word on Vegas contract termination (Sportsnet)

**Golden Knights GM McPhee not looking to make trade for goalie (Sportsnet)

HOCKEY WORLD

**CHL Power Rankings: Nine players who could climb NHL Draft rankings (Sportsnet)

**OHL Roundup: Sting down Petes to extend winning streak to 14 (Sportsnet)

**QMJHL Roundup: Jordan Martel scores two as Drakkar edge Sea Dogs (Sportsnet)

**WHL Roundup: Andrusiak leads Thunderbirds in win over Oil Kings (Sportsnet)

**2017-18 Minnesota Ms. Hockey watch list (SBNCH)

**Freshman phenoms: 5 standout NCAA women first-year players (The Ice Garden)

**USA Hockey, Hockey Canada reveal 2018 Olympic hockey jerseys (The Ice Garden)

**NWHL Recap: Week 1 (The Ice Garden)