"The battle for the Blackhawks' backup goaltender job rages on.

The first season-opening roster assembled by new general manager Stan Bowman will feature three goaltenders. Antti Niemi and Corey Crawford will continue to vie for the right to back up Cristobal Huet, at least through this weekend's games at spiffy Hartwall Arena.

Although the NHL limits rosters to 23 players when the season starts, the four teams opening in Europe as part of its NHL Premiere event are allowed an extra player.

The Hawks, who survived a training camp that started with 59 players, will get their first look at Hartwall today during a morning practice, then participate in a fan rally later in the day.

They received a welcome day off Wednesday after a training camp that started Sept. 17 and included six preseason games.

Bowman, at 36 the youngest GM in the NHL, arrived with the team after a flight from Zurich, Switzerland, then took off from the airport with two scouts for Russia to check out a Hawks prospect there."