It’s tough to fault Jimmy Howard for yesterday’s Game 6 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes. His team, after starting so strong, wasn’t the same in the final 40 minutes of the game and allowed the Coyotes to once again control play as the game progressed.
Plus, it’s not Howard’s fault that the Red Wings failed to score on numerous power play chances.
Yet, there will be some consternation over the rookie’s performance (admittedly, there were a few goals allowed that should have been stopped) and while the Red Wings do have veteran Chris Osgood as a backup, the Red Wings will be going with Howard once more in Game 7.
Says Osgood, via Chris McCosky of The Detroit News:
“He’ll be ready,” veteran back-up Chris Osgood said. “He had a good attitude even after (the game). We were talking, not joking around, but just laughing about different scenarios. He’s cool. He’s just going to go out and play. He’s played the same way positionally and everything else the whole series.