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All We Are Saying Is Give Pete A Chance

January 23, 2018, 2:21 PM ET [17 Comments]
Bob Duff
Detroit Red Wings Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Consecutive shutouts. Back to back victories. Three wins in four starts, all of them on the road.

All of which adds up to a pertinent and pressing question - what does Petr Mrazek have to do in order to be given a legitimate crack at becoming a regular again the Detroit Red Wings’ net.

Detroit coach Jeff Blashill doesn’t like to acknowledge his starting goalies beforehand, and with no morning skate on Tuesday following Monday’s 3-0 win at New Jersey overall the Devils, there was no indication from which net the goalies occupied to tip off who might be between the pipes when the Wings play host to the Philadelphia Flyers Tuesday night at Little Caesars Arena. But based on Blashill’s post-game comments, you’d have to think that he is leaning toward giving Mrazek back to back starts for the first time this season.

And if he isn’t, you have to wonder just what he is thinking.

“When you play to the level that he’s played, you push for ice time,” Blashill told Detroitredwings.com. “We talk lots about earning ice time, and sometimes you’ve got to do it over and over and over again. He’s done that here the last couple of games.”

Blashill’s assessment of Mrazek’s performance in his previous start, a 4-0 shutout of the Chicago Blackhawks Jan. 14 at the United Center, offered solid praise as well.

“I thought Petr was excellent,” Blashill said at the time. “I thought he made the game easy. I thought the puck stuck to him. I thought he made big saves at big moments.”

Three of Mrazek’s five wins this season were by shutout. The last Detroit goalie prior to Mrazek to record back-to-back shutouts was Dominik Hasek in 2008, on Jan. 5 at Dallas and Jan. 8 at home to Colorado. The previous Wings netminder to do so on the road was Manny Legace on Oct. 15, 2005 at Phoenix and Oct. 22, 2005 at Columbus.

Mrazek parried the question of whether he should be back in the net tonight instead of Jimmy Howard as easily as he turned aside 37 New Jersey shots on Monday.

“That’s a question for coaches,” Mrazek said. “I’m trying to just be focused if I get the call.”

With the Wings in desperate need of wins, Mrazek should get the call Tuesday. And if he doesn’t, Blashill will have some explaining to do.

Going Down
It turns out the the NHL debut of defenseman Joe Hicketts in Monday’s win was a one off. The Wings returned Hicketts to AHL Grand Rapids on Tuesday.

Center Dominic Turgeon was also returned to GR, making it likely that forward Luke Glendening (wrist) is good to go against the Flyers.

Booth Clears
As expected, David Booth cleared NHL waivers for the third time this season.

That means should the need arise to create roster space as more of Detroit’s injured players return to action, Booth could be assigned to AHL Grand Rapids.

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