For most of the season, when it came to the Detroit Red Wings’ goaltending, Petr Mrazek was the answer and Jimmy Howard was the question mark.
Today, their roles are reversed.
Mrazek is struggling – he coughed up two goals on five shots and lasted just 6:19 during Sunday’s 4-1 loss at Chicago – and that means Howard gets the start in net Tuesday as the Wings travel to Nationwide Arena to tangle with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Howard has played extremely well in his last two starts and seems to have escaped the funk that affected him so frequently this season.
“It took a little while to figure out the new role and just how to handle everything, how to just play once called upon,… Howard said of backing up Mrazek. “So once I seemed to figure it out everything sort of fell into place.…
He’s not looking upon the stretch drive as a chance to salvage his season.
“No, this is the new NHL,… Howard said. “You need two goalies to be able to do anything nowadays. You see the teams that rely heavily upon one, things can happen, and then the next thing you know you can be in a lot of hurt.
“I think it’s (two goalies) a good luxury to have as an organization.…
Suddenly, though, Howard is the one in position to counsel Mrazek through his struggles.
“Just relax,… was Howard’s advice to his goaltending partner. “Just relax, play. Just don’t think about anything when you’re out there, just go out there and do what got you to the NHL.
“There’s a reason why we’re both in the NHL, that’s because we’re both good goalies and we’ve got good work ethic and we’re competitive. So you go back to trying to have fun.…
At the same time, it doesn’t hurt to have extra thick skin to be a goalie. In fact, it’s a standard requirement in the job description.
“Yeah, when you make a mistake and the red light goes on and 20,000 people start cheering … it’s one of those unique positions where you’ve got to let things just roll off your back,… Howard said.
Detroit coach Jeff Blashill, himself a former goaltender, related again that he’s lost no faith in Mrazek as his goalie.
“I have unbelievable belief in Petr,… Blashill said. “I think he’s an elite goalie in this league. I also think Jimmy’s proven through numerous different occasions in his career that he is an elite goalie in this league.
“I think we have the luxury of having two guys that I have tons of confidence in. I think you’re going to go through times in the year where you’re playing great and you’re going to go through times of the year where the puck’s going in. Sometimes it’s your fault; sometimes it’s situational. I understand that as well as anybody.
“Jimmy has played very well. We’re going to put him in and hopefully get a win tomorrow night against Columbus. In terms of Petr, I think Petr is going to be a big factor for us moving forward the rest of the year.…
Datsyuk Status Center Pavel Datsyuk, who missed Sunday’s game due to illness, felt signs of improvement Monday but was not ready to stamp himself good to go for Tuesday.
“I’m a little bit better,… Datsyuk said. “I'm just looking to tomorrow, to play tomorrow.
“I'm hoping.…
Datsyuk indicted he’d been feeling under the weather for nearly a week.
“I was sick a little bit last week but yesterday probably the highest one (temperature).…
He pointed to his heavy amount of perspiration even though he’d been hardly working out.
“You can see, lots of sweat,… Datsyuk said. “I didn't do anything yesterday, can't do anything today. Still it's lot of sweat.
“I hope it keeps helping me just to get everything to go away.…
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