Jimmy Howard Must Start To Avoid Goalie Controversy
By Tony Fischer
After Saturday’s 7-2 drubbing at the hands of the Philadelphia Flyers, Mike Babcock decided to go with Petr Mrazek against the Penguins on Sunday. Babcock said the decision was not based on the Jimmy Howards performance against the flyers but because he wanted to rest his starting netminder on the second day of a back-to-back.
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Marzek’s near shut out performance on Sunday against the Penguins may have given him pause.
Asked Babcock who starts at FLA? "I'm going to enjoy a nice meal on the plane & a nice day off & then I'll make some decisions after that."
— Helene St. James (@HeleneStJames) March 15, 2015
Apparently Jimmy Howard’s hold on the starting job isn’t as firm as Babcock may have indicated. Afterall the Red Wings are on struggling with consistency and if the defense plays more consistently in front of Mrazek then they should go with what works.
Via the Helene St. James at the Free Press
"“We just needed to bounce back,” Babcock said. “Everybody goes through adversity. I thought we were really dialed in. We had great leadership. We got off to a real good start, and built a big lead and then just kind of sat on it.”"
That said making the decision to go with hot handed goaltender could come back to bite Babcock as it will only create a goaltending controversy the likes of which Detroit has never seen. That is saying something considering Hockeytown’s history with goaltenders.
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Babcock should know that goal tender by committee hardly ever works in the playoffs. The only reason he should give Petr Mrazek an extra start down the stretch is if plans on using him in the playoffs. Otherwise he could undermine Jimmy Howard’s confidence heading into the Stanley Cup playoffs. A shaken Howard combined with the unproven Mrazek could spell serious trouble for the Red Wings Stanley Cup run.
Recent struggles with winning aside, the Red Wings have not had to overcome much adversity this season. More will certainly come as the playoffs approach but the Red Wings need not create their own by starting a controversy between the pipes.