Mrazek Saves The Day, Rescues His Season In Victory Over Stars
By Will Burchfield
Twitter @Burchie_kid
DETROIT (CBS DETROIT) - Just like this season, Tuesday night's game didn't start off well for Petr Mrazek.
The goaltender wrote a different story from that point on.
Mrazek stopped all 34 shots he faced after allowing a goal 16 seconds into the contest and lifted the Red Wings to a 3-1 win over the high-octane Dallas Stars. His 12th start of the season was undoubtedly his best.
"I thought Petr was great tonight," said Dylan Larkin, whose power play goal tied the game at 1 late in the first period. "He stood on his head."
It was a phrase the Wings applied frequently to Mrazek last season, particularly over the first four months. But he slipped toward the end of the year and struggled to re-gain his footing when this season began.
On Tuesday, he stood tall for 60 minutes.
"I thought Petr completed great tonight," said coach Jeff Blashill. "When he's on his game, his competition level's excellent, he doesn't budge at all in the net. They drove the net hard, obviously it ended up with a couple scuffles around the net, and he stood his ground great. That's one of his best strengths."
It would have been easy for Mrazek to fold early on. The Stars scored a fluky goal in the first minute when Esa Lindell's low-angle shot deflected off Mike Green's skate and into the net. But instead of lamenting his poor luck, Mrazek quickly put the play behind him.
"First minute of the game, a bounce like that, it happens," he said. "But that was the last one."
It was a defiant remark from Mrazek, almost as if he were replaying the scene in his head. Almost as if he looked up at the scoreboard with 59 minutes, 44 seconds remaining and decided, that's it. No more.
This enough-is-enough mentality was evident not only in the way he swallowed up pucks, but in his snarl around the crease. When Patrick Sharp ended up in Mrazek's net midway through the third period, nearly knocking the goalie over, Mrazek swung at Sharp's chin with his blocker.
Chris Osgood would have been proud.
"It reminded me of Ozzie a little bit," said a smiling Henrik Zetterberg. "But obviously it's his net, it's his crease and when people are in there he has the right to remind them."
Trailing 2-1 entering the third period, the Stars generated heavy offensive pressure over the final 20 minutes. They threw 17 shots on goal, created numerous scoring chances and drew two power plays, including an abbreviated five-on-three with under ten minutes to go.
But Dallas couldn't penetrate Detroit's last line of defense.
"Mrazek played unreal," said Anthony Mantha, when asked how the Wings weathered the storm in the third period. "He had huge saves."
Said Larkin, "I think Petr was our best penalty killer in the last ten minutes. He shut them down and it was a big two points."
With the win, the Wings have secured seven of eight points in their past four contests. Five of those points can be attributed - at least in part - to Mrazek, who took over for an injured Jimmy Howard on Friday in New Jersey and has risen his game in each ensuing appearance.
"I'm just trying to stay calm back there and be the best I can," he said.
With Howard (groin) likely out for another 10-14 days, it's critical that Mrazek steps up. He was supposed to be the Wings starting goalie this season, and they're still counting on him to play like it.
He looked the part on Tuesday night, shaking off a slow start in the process. There's no time like the present for Mrazek to put the recent past behind him.
