Howie Wowie

Jimmy Howard my not be a No. 1 goaltender yet, but I think he is on his way.

In a season of inconsistent play for the Red Wings, Howard has too had games where he has been a as reliable at holding pucks as a spaghetti strainer is at retaining water. However, there has also be some moments of brilliance. The most recent, the toe stop on a Penalty shot taken by the Ranger’s Ryan Callahan to keep the Wings down by only one goal Sunday night. He also had his best game of the season, stopping 28 shots to help keep Detroit in the game. Dan Cleary scored the game winner late in the third.

We have had this situation before, having two goaltenders that can play at a high level on any given night. Remember back in 2008 when we had Hasak and Ozzie. Dom struggled in the opening round, Ozzie stepped in and looked awesome and the rest is history.

There was also the Joseph/Legace season, as well as the Vernon/Osgood year of 1997.

Most teams don’t have that luxury of having two guys between the pipes that they can rely on, but Mike Babcock seems to be in that situation. Once the team does what Osgood says they need to do, get to a playoff level and maintain it, this team should be alright. I am not wishing for a President’s Trophy this season, God knows we have enough of them, but this team is far from done.

On another note, one of the most popular Red Wings in the last 20 years, if not the history of the franchise, is officially calling it a career.

Darren McCartny is officially retiring from the NHL. Many people will have their own personal memories of D-Mac, but I think most of us will always remember him pounding on the back of the head of a turttling Claude Le-Puke, during that final regular season meeting between the Wings and Av-Nots back in 1997. That fight sparked the Wings Stanly Cup run and avenged the breaking of Kris Draper’s face during the 1996 Western Conference Finals.

Good Luck Darren on the next chapter of your life.

Before I go, I apologize about not having a blog after the game Sunday. I was planning on writing something on here last night after work , but my Internet went down for some ‘scheduled maintenance (Thanks Charter!).

Anyway, look back her late Wednesday night/early Thursday morning for my thoughts on tonight’s game against St. Louis. Always expect a battle when the Blues are on the other side of the ice, and the Wings are looking to even the season series at 2-2.

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