Blackhawks’ Corey Crawford skates for 1st time since appendectomy

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford skated for the first time Thursday in Chicago since he underwent an appendectomy Dec. 3 in Philadelphia, coach Joel Quenneville told reporters Thursday in Brooklyn.

At the time of the appendectomy, Crawford was given a two-to-three week timetable for recovery which would slate is return, at the earliest, for Dec. 18 against San Jose at home.

The Hawks won’t rush Crawford back into the net until he’s fully healed, similar to how they treated Jonathan Toews’ back injury which sidelined him for nine games.

"You want to make sure you’re more than ready when you come back, especially with goalies," Quenneville told the Chicago Tribune. "They want to come…