Jimmy Howard should be replaced with Jonas Gustavson

Apr 20, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; Detroit Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard (35) prepares for a shot by Boston Bruins center Gregory Campbell (11) during the first period in game two of the first round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Banknorth Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

Everything the Detroit Red Wings did right in the first game has gone wrong in the next two games.  I believe that to bolster the confidence of this team they should replace Jimmy Howard with Jonas Gustavson.  While the offense has been horrible all series you cannot keep giving up 3 goals a game.  Jonas Gustavson has outplayed Howard all year and if were going to get back into the series the forwards and defensemen need confidence that if they do make a mistake the goalie will have their backs.

I have always believed that to win a Stanley Cup you need a Goaltender who stands on his head either at some point or through out the playoffs.  When the Los Angeles Kings won the Stanley Cup Johnathan Quick was the best player on the ice in every series, Jimmy Howard has never been that.  Fans of the Red Wings continue to make excuses for him, its always the other players fault but at some point he needs to make saves.  As much as Steve Yzerman gets credit for turning the franchise around when he became more of a 2 way player not just offensive, which he rightly deserves, the Goaltenders on those 3 Stanley Cup winning teams were incredible during the playoffs.  Jimmy Howard has never showed me enough to believe that he could take his game to that type of level.  While Jonas Gustavson has not either this year he was the better Goalie in the regular season and since were the 8th seed and have nothing to lose why not see what he has.

We are in a must win situation and I believe that this change would be the shot in the arm that the players need.  There is a chance that Henrik Zetterberg could play tomorrow night as welcomed a sight as that would be he has not played in a hockey game since the Olympics he will not be in game shape.  If this move is not made I now think that the series will be over in the latest 6 games and we will once again lose to a Boston team.  That would be another long summer for the Red Wings while thinking about how we can better situate ourselves to bring the Stanley Cup back where it belongs to Detroit.