All eyes on Jimmy Howard as Red Wings begin playoffs

 

By Dave Waddell –

It’s not usually a recipe for playoff success when you enter the first round still not sure about what version of your team will show up from game to game, who should be slotted where and even who should be your starting goaltender.

Despite all that, the Detroit Red Wings feel they have more than just a hope and a prayer in facing the Tampa Bay Lightning for the second straight postseason.

“I think we can do it,” Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard told the Windsor Star.

“You just have to get in. You never know what can happen. It’s a new season now. This is the fun time. It’s another great accolade, 25 straight years running.

“Now we just go out there and just play.”

The puck drops on the Wings vs. Bolts series at 7 p.m. tonight in Tampa. Game 2 takes place Friday at the same time and place, before Joe Louis Arena plays host for Game 3 Sunday night.

In an ironic role reversal of so many seasons, the Red Wings are now playing the underdog.

They’ve been bitten in the past by rank upstarts and know how unpredictable the first round of the playoffs can be.

They are making no apologies for backing into the post-season with two straight losses and a little help from their friends the Ottawa Senators, who beat Boston in their final contest.

“We earned ourselves this spot,” Zetterberg told Detroit reporters after the Wings regular-season finale. “You count the points from Game 1. If you’re in the playoffs, you earned the spot and we’re there.”

They face an opponent they’re familiar with and whom they feel they match up well against.

The Lightning eliminated the Wings in seven games in the first round last season in a very tightly contested series.

The Wings haven’t been as good this year, but neither have the Lightning.

The Lightning enter the playoffs the much more banged up team with star sniper Steven Stamkos and top-pairing defenseman Anton Stralman both out. Center Tyler Johnson, who killed Detroit in the series last spring, was injured in Tampa’s final game while stud defenseman Victor Hedman is also questionable.

The Wings enter the series relatively healthy with only Drew Miller unavailable.

The teams split their four games this year with the home team winning each time.

“They still have a lot of weapons, a lot of great players on that team,” Howard said.

“We have to be ready to go. This year, it seems like home ice advantage has been key going against each other.

“We have to find a way to steal one in the playoffs.”

Perhaps the most important decision of the series will occur before the puck drops in Wednesday’s Game 1.

Wings’ coach Jeff Blashill must decide who gets the call in goal.

Will it be Petr Mrazek, who nearly stole last year’s series with Tampa, but struggled down the stretch this season after being so brilliant through February?

Or will Blashill opt for Howard, who struggled himself for two months, but provided solid netminding to get the Wings into the playoffs?

Blashill may have tipped his hand when he started Howard with Detroit’s season on the line in New York last Saturday. That Howard got the call coming off the Wings’ abysmal 5-1 loss in Boston is a testament to the level of trust he’s regained from Blashill.

“I think his game’s in a good spot,” Blashill told Detroit reporters. “I think he’s put himself in a spot where he’s in control of his game. He’s done a real good job.”

It’s been a remarkable turnaround for Howard. Two months ago, his Wings’ career was left for dead.

The only question was how quickly Detroit would try to trade him and his $5.3-million cap hit this summer?

Now, Howard’s departure is no sure thing with Mrazek not being able to go the distance in his first full NHL season.

Howard can go further in making that decision difficult for General Manager Ken Holland by taking advantage of any opportunities that come his way in the post-season.

Certainly Blashill hasn’t hesitated to play Howard against Tampa this season.

Howard started three of the four games and won two of them. He posted a 2.14 goals against and a .925 save percentage.

If Blashill makes the right decision on his goalkeeper, the Wings don’t have an unreasonable road to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Should the Wings get past a banged up Tampa team, they’ll get either Florida or the New York Islanders.

“It’s never been easy and this is the most parity,” Abdelkader said of the unpredictability of the playoffs.

“But it’s a big accomplishment for this group and we’re a very confident group and we know we can play against anyone. We’re not content with just getting in.”

Former Detroit goalie turned broadcaster Chris Osgood told Sportsnet a favorable scenario is unfolding for the Wings with expectations for the club so low.

“A lot of role guys, Sheahan, Helm . . . are playing well now,” Osgood said.

“They (Wings) have a chance to beat somebody.

“I think they could beat Florida, which has a lot great young players but may be vulnerable.”