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Crawford set to rebound in Blackhawks-Kings Game 3

By WTOP Staff

GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Corey Crawford and Jonathan Quick both realize that even a Stanley Cup ring doesn’t protect a goalie from criticism after a bad game.

Crawford and Quick also don’t seem to care, and perhaps that’s why they’re still chasing a second championship.

The NHL’s last two Cup-winning goalies meet again when the Los Angeles Kings host the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals on Saturday night at Staples Center.

Crawford realizes he’s under a spotlight after the Blackhawks allowed six goals in the final 22 minutes of Game 2 while the Kings dramatically evened the series. Crawford was in net for five of them, matching his worst goals-against total of the season.

But Crawford has shrugged off criticism for his entire career with the Blackhawks, and one bad playoff game isn’t about to bother him. After two days off, he’s confident the defending champions can get back on top of their formidable game on the road.

“We’ve said a million times, not everything is going to go your way all the time,” Crawford said Friday after practice at Staples Center. “So we’ve got to keep playing hard, keep playing the way you can.”

Crawford acknowledged feeling personal disappointment “maybe a little bit after the game, but there’s things I could fix easily. There was a couple of mistakes in my game. You look over it with the goalie coach and try to adjust what I did wrong.”

The Blackhawks can’t understand why doubt still exists about their goalie’s credentials, but they realize it’s out there. They’re more focused on their own play in front of Crawford after Los Angeles embarrassed them.

“He comes back strong after every game,” said Patrick Kane, who beat out Crawford for the Conn Smythe Trophy last summer. “He’s a great goaltender. A lot of us in here feel he’s the best in the league.”

He has also been accountable. When the Blackhawks gave away two late leads during overtime defeats in their first two playoff games against St. Louis last month, Crawford attempted to take the blame, and he bounced back with nine wins in his next 11 starts.

“I think every year, he has matured in different ways,” Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said. “I just think he’s gotten better and better in how to approach a goal that he feels he could have had, (or) a tough loss. I think he has handled all situations. Whether it’s a big win or coming off the last game, he moves forward in the proper fashion.”

Crawford’s save percentage (.926) and goals-against average (2.11) in the current postseason are the best in the Western Conference. They’re better than the numbers (.912 and 2.70) posted by Quick, who won the Jennings Trophy for Los Angeles despite an unusual regular season including a seven-week injury absence and an eventful trip to Sochi as the U.S. Olympic team’s starting goalie.

Quick betrayed little frustration when the Kings gave up 17 goals in their first three playoff games this spring. He has been largely outstanding since then, which doesn’t surprise his teammates.

“Good goalies just park it and move on to the next one,” Kings defenseman Willie Mitchell said.

Los Angeles played mostly solid defense in front of Quick in its first two games in Chicago, particularly against Kane, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Sharp. Kane has just one goal in the last seven games — although it was his series-clinching overtime beauty against Minnesota — while Sharp has only two goals in 14 playoff games.

The Kings harbor no illusions about the Blackhawks’ motivation after their last loss.

“We have no doubt that (Game 2) hasn’t affected them,” Kings defenseman Drew Doughty said. “They’re one of the strongest teams mentally in the league.”

The Kings are just 3-3 at Staples Center in the postseason, and the Blackhawks could get a boost from a trip to a road arena where they always play in front of hundreds of red jersey-wearing fans. Game 3 won’t decide the series, but two veteran playoff teams realize the stakes during Los Angeles’ two home games over Memorial Day weekend.

“They’re the defending Stanley Cup champions, and we’re well aware of how good a team they are, but also how they’re able to battle adversity,” Kings captain Dustin Brown said. “If we had given up six unanswered goals, we know how we would want to respond to that.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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