Blackhawks general manager Mike Smith said Monday that backup goaltender Steve Passmore “has to play better.”
Passmore will be given that opportunity in Norfolk after the Hawks sent him down Tuesday and recalled goalie Craig Andersson from the Admirals and center Peter White from Philadelphia of the American Hockey League.
The Hawks believe they would have earned at least a tie in Wednesday night’s 5-3 loss at Vancouver with better goaltending. That was Passmore’s third start of the season and the second straight in which he allowed a goal in the first 20 seconds.
Passmore was 0-2-1 with a 4.22 goals-against average. Andersson was 6-2-0 with a 2.19 goals-against in Norfolk.
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Andersson was recalled instead of Michael Leighton, who had a strong preseason. But there is a belief in the organization that Leighton is going through a sophomore slump, and not being called up may be a message to him as well as Passmore.
White was recalled after center Andrei Nikolishin returned to Chicago on Tuesday to have his knee examined. Nikolishin injured his knee on his last shift of Monday night’s 1-0 loss at Colorado and is doubtful for Thursday’s game at Phoenix.
White had 10 goals and 12 assists with both Norfolk and Philadelphia, where he was on loan.