When Jimmy Howard and Petr Mrazek were fighting for the net, talk of a potential goaltending controversy in Detroit made perfect sense.
When Howard went out for 4-6 weeks with a torn MCL, the net was Mrazek’s to lose, and it would appear that he’s lost it.
Rookie Jared Coreau got the start Thursday in Ottawa and was solid, blocking 26 shots in a 3-2 overtime decision over the Senators, Coreau’s second straight win.
Mrazek hasn’t won back-to-back games since Dec. 4-6 and he’s surrendered at least three goals in each of his last six starts. Howard’s most recent consecutive triumphs came Nov. 8-10.
Lest you think that Detroit coach Jeff Blashill’s decision to go with Coreau, who’s from nearby Perth, Ont. on Thursday was a feel-good emotional decision in the spirit of the holiday season, think again, because isn’t wired to think that way.
“No, not really,… Blashill said. “I think it’s nice for him to be able to play somewhat of a game in his hometown but for us, it’s just about trying to put the guys in place to win.… At the moment, the Wings happen to think that Coreau is the guy best suited to do that for them between the pipes.
“Jared, I thought, played good in the game against Florida and got the win,… Blashill said. “He had a real good preseason, he had a good start to the Pittsburgh game (in his NHL debut, a 5-3 loss). The third period was a tough one for the whole team.
“He’s a big guy with lots of ability. I’ve watched him get so much better over the course of the last three years. He’s been an elite player in the American League and what you love to do is wait for guys to become elite in the American League and then come up here and get a chance to show that they can do it up here.
“So he’s going to get another opportunity to do that. We know we need to have great goaltending in order to win and we’re hoping he can give us that.…
Guess what? He did.
“I thought it was the best game that he’s played for us of the three,… Blashill said. “I thought he looked the most calm, I thought he looked the most compact.
“He made big saves in the first when they were pushing.…
For Coreau, the emotion of the night was something that he will never forget, performing in front of about 20 friends and family, including his parents and Patricia Thompson, his 92-year-old grandmother, who was seeing him play in person for the first time.
“I knew what suite they were in, so after we got the win I pointed up to them and gave them a little wave,… said Coreau, who admitted he was overcome with a wave of thoughts after the win was secured and he pondered the messages he’d received from family members.
“I think just looking back, kind of all the hard work that’s gone into getting to this point. Every one of them said, ‘Hey, the real work starts now.’ That’s something I’ll keep in mind.
“It feels good for all the wrong reasons, I guess, just winning in front of them, and my best friend is here, and everything.
“It was just a really good feeling.…
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