DETROIT – Jimmy Howard will return to the Detroit Red Wings lineup Wednesday night to back up Petr Mrazek against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the team announced Monday.
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Howard has been out of action with a groin injury since Jan. 10 when he left a game against the Washington Capitals at 1:53 in the 1st period. He suffered the injury on a Capitals scoring play.
Jonas Gustavsson already was out of the lineup with a shoulder injury, so in stepped 22-year-old Mrazek.
With the starting role, Mrazek is 13-4-1 with a .914 save percentage and 2.42 goals against average. He made 28 saves last week in Colorado to earn his 3rd career NHL shutout -- his first this season.
Howard was enjoying a bounce-back season and posting All-Star caliber numbers (16 wins, .920 SV%, 2.11 GAA) before going down with the injury. He was selected to the All Star Game the same day he was injured.
Mrazek gets the start Wednesday while it's unclear if or when Howard will get his crease back this season. As for Gustavsson, he hasn't played since Nov. 5 when he suffered his shoulder injury. It's kept him out of the lineup for months. However, he has been traveling with the team and backed up Mrazek the past two games.
Meanwhile, the Red Wings are two points behind the Atlantic Division-leading Tampa Bay Lightning after Saturday night's 3-1 win in Arizona. The Lightning beat the Anaheim Ducks, 5-3, on Sunday.
After Pittsburgh, the Wings will return for two games at Joe Louis Arena (Saturday against Winnipeg and Monday against Montreal) before embarking on a six-game western road trip beginning in Chicago on Wednesday, Feb. 18. They won't be back in Detroit until March 4.