All season long, the Detroit Red Wings have struggled to put the puck in the net.
All season long, the Wings have found it challenging to garner success on the power play.
But at least they could count on goaltender Petr Mrazek being a fortress between the pipes.
Suddenly, that’s no longer the case, so maybe now it’s time to worry about Mrazek.
Detroit coach Jeff Blashill suggested he wasn’t concerned about his No. 1 netminder after Chicago put five past him in Wednesday’s 5-2 victory, but Mrazek got the quick hook in Sunday’s 4-1 loss to the Blackhawks at the United Center after two of the first five shots beat him just 6:19 into the game.
“I wouldn’t say I play any different,… said Mrazek, who posted a .952 save percentage in January. “It’s just pucks go in and I have to find a way how to stop them, don’t let those goals just go through me.
“I have to look forward.…
It was the earliest he’s ever been pulled from a game during his NHL career. Last season, he got the hook 13:37 into a game at Joe Louis Arena against the Buffalo Sabres after allowing three goals on seven shots.
Blashill noted that while he still has long-term faith in Mrazek as his go-to goalie, his play of late is substandard.
“He's come off it,… Blashill said. “Concern long term, I don't have any. Long term, I have tons of belief in Petr. But in the short term he's got to make more saves than he did today and make more saves than he has recently.
“So I'm not concerned about his game, I'm concerned about the number of goals and he's going to have to find a way to shut the door.…
The recent numbers next to his name certainly would suggest that at the very least, Mrazek is mired in his first personal slump of the season. Over the past seven games, Mrazek is 2-3-2 with a 3.81 goals-against average and .868 save percentage.
“I have to find a way how to stop those pucks,… Mrazek said. “I thought all season long, the puck is hitting me and everything and now I just have to find a way to do the same thing as before.…
Mrazek has displayed a history of resiliency, of bouncing back strongly when he’s hit the skids, and his teammates remain certain that he’ll be his old self soon enough.
“I’m not really worried about it,… forward Tomas Tatar said. “Maybe a few goals were kind of lucky bounces but you know, he’s pretty strong minded.
“I’m not worried about like he will be playing bad. He’s a big part of this team and without him we would not even be as close as we are right now.…
Mrazek missed a game last week with a tender groin but insisted his leg is 100 per cent and not the issue. Like Tatar, he believes salvation is just around the corner.
“I’m confident,… Mrazek said. “That’s how hockey is. If you weren’t to make any mistakes, there would be zero goals on both sides.
“I have to battle through, battle hard and go get through the next game I play.…
Special Education The Wings lost the special teams battle yet again, Chicago scoring twice on the power play while Detroit threw up another goose egg. They’ve managed to score more power-play goals than the opposition just three times in the last 12 games.
“We’ve been over this over and over and it really hasn’t gone our way,… said Detroit’s Gustav Nyquist, who scored the Wings’ lone goal, extending his point streak to four games. “A few games we’ve got one and hoped to gain momentum off that but again tonight we had lots of chances in the second to tie it up and we can’t find a way.
“Obviously it’s not going in, so we’ve got to do something. We’ve got to get bodies in front of the net. We had a lot of good shots, we had a lot of rebounds laying around. I don’t think we won enough battles in front.
“I think that’s one big thing. We’ve got to make sure we win those battles to get those rebounds.…
Datsyuk Ill As if things weren’t tough enough for the Wings facing the defending Stanley Cup champions on the road, their task grew sufficiently more difficult just prior to the drop of the puck when the team announced that center Pavel Datsyuk was sick and would not be able to play.
The Wings are uncertain whether Datsyuk will be well enough to suit up Tuesday in their next game at Columbus.
Blashill wouldn’t allow Datsyuk’s absence to be utilized as a crutch by his team.
“Certainly Pavel's one of the best players in the world but you have to be able to absorb losing players and still find ways to win,… Blashill said. “They're missing (Marian) Hossa.
“We should have found a way to win.…
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