Pat Caputo: Howard Can't Surrender Any More 'Iffy' Goals To Sharks
There were many times Friday and Sunday when Red Wings' goalie Jimmy Howard was great.
He made save after save, many of them spectacular, in Game 1 and Game 2 of Detroit's Western Conference semifinal playoff series against the San Jose Sharks.
But it was the one save Howard didn't make Sunday that was the difference in a 2-1 loss.
With the Red Wings already trailing 1-0, Niclas Wallin of the Sharks took what appeared to be an innocent-looking shot that hit off Howard's shoulder, his helmet and dropped behind the thin, red goal line.
Sports.CAPUTO: Howard can't surrender any more 'iffy' goals to Sharks WITH VIDEO
Published: Sunday, May 01, 2011
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Detroit Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard (35) deflects a shot on goal next to teammate Nicklas Lidstrom, of Sweden, (5) and San Jose Sharks right wing Dany Heatley (15) during the first period in Game 2 of an NHL Western Conference semifinal Stanley Cup playoff hockey series game in San Jose, Calif., Sunday, May 1, 2011. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Detroit Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock, center, instructs center Darren Helm (43) against the San Jose Sharks during the first period in Game 2 of an NHL Western Conference semifinal Stanley Cup playoff hockey series game in San Jose, Calif., Sunday, May 1, 2011. San Jose won 2-1 in overtime. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
By PAT CAPUTO
Of The Oakland Press
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Detroit Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard (35) blocks a shot from San Jose Sharks center Patrick Marleau (12) in the second period in Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs Western Conference semifinal in San Jose, Calif., Sunday, May 1, 2011. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
There were many times Friday and Sunday when Red Wings' goalie Jimmy Howard was great.
He made save after save, many of them spectacular, in Game 1 and Game 2 of Detroit's Western Conference semifinal playoff series against the San Jose Sharks.
But it was the one save Howard didn't make Sunday that was the difference in a 2-1 loss.
With the Red Wings already trailing 1-0, Niclas Wallin of the Sharks took what appeared to be an innocent-looking shot that hit off Howard's shoulder, his helmet and dropped behind the thin, red goal line.
Here's the bottom line about Howard. Doesn't matter if Red Wings' defenseman Niklas Kronwall's stick was, "in the road," so to speak, making it a more difficult save. Doesn't matter if the puck was deflected. It still caught most of Howard. He should have made that save. It should have been a 1-0 deficit for the Red Wings down the stretch. Instead, it was 2-0 and essentially, the game was out of reach.
When the stakes are this high, and if the Red Wings are going to win the Stanley Cup title, their goalie has to make that save 99.9999999 percent of the time.
