Disaster has struck once again for the Chicago Blackhawks, as netminder Corey Crawford has been placed on injured reserve for the second time in a month, the team announced Wednesday.

In a corresponding move, goalie Jeff Glass was recalled from the AHL.

Crawford was placed on IR on Dec. 1 with an undisclosed injury, but returned in the middle of the month in top form, winning five of his seven starts.

This season, Crawford owns 16-9-2 record, accompanied by the league's second-best save percentage (.929), and the third-ranked goals-against average (2.27).

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With 2018 almost upon us, the NHL has never featured so much skill and speed.

In net, however, goalies are as athletic as ever.

The result is highlight-reel plays all over the ice, with these five standing out as the best saves of 2017:

5. Nilsson's Pacific dive - Dec. 20

Vancouver Canucks goalie Anders Nilsson got his bid for save of the year in under the wire with a diving denial of Montreal Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty.

4. Carey on - Feb. 21

The Canadiens had their own desperation save moment earlier in the year, though.

J.T. Miller must have thought he was playing the hero in overtime for his New York Rangers, with a wide-open net into which he could deposit the puck.

Until, that is, Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens somehow got in the way.

3. Dubnyk's Hasek impersonation - Oct. 5

He's not quite at Dominik Hasek's level just yet, but Devan Dubnyk of the Minnesota Wild made us do a double take with this impression of the legendary Czech netminder on the second night of the 2017-18 regular season.

2. Quick is the new Karate Kid - April 5

Mercy is for the weak, and Quick had none for the Arizona Coyotes - and Peter Holland in particular - as he kicked his leg up and out for a unique pad save.

1. Bobrovsky's jaw dropper - Nov. 12

By all rights, a 2-on-0 rush should result in a goal ... unless the man in net is Columbus Blue Jackets goalie and 2017 Vezina Trophy-winner Sergei Bobrovsky, who robbed Andreas Athanasiou and the Detroit Red Wings of a win in overtime.

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Canada opened its Spengler Cup campaign with a 5-3 win over Mountfield HK on Tuesday, as David McIntyre's shorthanded marker in the third period pushed the Canadians to victory in Davos, Switzerland.

Canada, the two-time defending champion at the annual competition, also got goals from Victor Bartley, Curtis Hamilton, Mason Raymond, and P.A. Parenteau. Between the pipes, Barry Brust made 31 saves.

Canada is back in action Thursday against tournament host HC Davos.

Following the NHL's decision not to participate in the 2018 Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, this year's edition of the Spengler Cup serves as a final opportunity for Olympic hopefuls to convince the Hockey Canada brass that they deserve a chance to feature in South Korea.

Canada will announce its Olympic roster in January.

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Casey Mittelstadt and Kieffer Bellows poured in two goals apiece as the United States cruised past Denmark 9-0 in both teams' first preliminary round games Tuesday at the World Junior Hockey Championship in Buffalo.

The U.S. scored five times in the first period, and American goaltender Joseph Woll stopped all 17 shots he faced to secure the shutout.

Max Jones, Kailer Yamamoto, Patrick Harper, Andrew Peeke, and Dylan Samberg also tallied in the rout.

Next up for the Americans is a Thursday matchup with Slovakia. Denmark next faces Finland at noon ET that day.

The U.S. defeated Canada in a shootout to win the gold medal at last year's tournament.

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Former Toronto Maple Leafs legend Johnny Bower died at 93 on Tuesday and the hockey world at large is mourning his loss.

Bower won four Stanley Cups with the Maple Leafs through the 1960s, earned the Vezina Trophy twice, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1976.

Related: Maple Leafs legend Johnny Bower dies at 93

Members of the hockey community shared their memories of the goaltender along with their condolences.

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Legendary goaltender Johnny Bower has died after a short battle with pneumonia, his grandson, John Bower, confirmed Tuesday night.

He was 93.

The Hall of Famer won four Stanley Cup championships with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1960s, and played 12 seasons with the organization after spending parts of three campaigns with the New York Rangers to begin his NHL career.

He won the Vezina Trophy as the league's top netminder twice, and also won three AHL championships, hoisting the Calder Cup with the Cleveland Barons all three times.

"There may not be a more loved Toronto Maple Leaf nor a former player who loved them as much back," Leafs president Brendan Shanahan said in a statement Tuesday night.

"Johnny was beloved by so many for much more than his Hall of Fame credentials as a player," Shanahan added. "It was his generosity of spirit, kindness and passion for people that made him a legend at life. The Toronto Maple Leafs, and our fans, are deeply indebted to Johnny for all that he gave to us, and taught us over the years. We will miss him dearly, but we know that his presence will forever be felt by our club and our city."

Bower ranks second in Leafs' franchise history in games played by a goaltender, and sits third on the club's all-time shutouts list.

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1976.

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Taylor Raddysh and Boris Katchouk collected a goal and an assist apiece as Canada officially began its quest for revenge at the World Junior Hockey Championship with a 4-2 victory over Finland on Tuesday.

Finland nearly made it a one-goal game midway through the final frame, but Canadian defenseman Cal Foote dove and gloved the puck away to preserve the two-goal lead.

Canada scored twice in a span of 27 seconds early in the first period, including an opening goal that generated some controversy. Katchouk flew in on a breakaway and scored despite appearing to knock the net off its moorings beforehand.

Drake Batherson's first-period goal that made it 3-1 for Canada held up as the eventual game-winner.

Aleksi Heponiemi and Henri Jokiharju provided the offense for Finland.

Canada plays Slovakia on Wednesday night, while Finland is off until facing Denmark on Thursday at noon ET.

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Arizona Coyotes forward Zac Rinaldo waived his right to an in-person hearing for his sucker punch on Colorado Avalanche rookie Samuel Girard, the NHL's Department of Player Safety announced.

Instead, Rinaldo will have a phone hearing Wednesday to determine whether he'll face supplemental discipline for the fifth time in his NHL career. The league only offers in-person hearings for situations that may require a suspension of six games or more.

Rinaldo was given a match penalty on the play.

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