Notes: Mrazek gets his chance

DETROIT-- To describe goaltender Petr Mrazek's Red Wings career as anything but a roller coaster ride would be inaccurate.
Sometimes brilliant, occasionally mediocre, at times terrible and always an enigma.

In his first 40 games in Detroit from 2012-13 to 2014-15, Mrazek showed great promise, but it was during the 2015-16 campaign where he solidified himself as Detroit's goalie of the future or so many thought.
He finished the year 27-16-6, with a 2.33 goals-against average, .921 save percentage and four shutouts in 54 games.
However, it was a 13-game stretch from January 2 through February 10 when Mrazek elevated his play to elite level status. He was 10-2-1, with a goals-against average of 1.30, his save percentage was an impressive .951 and he recorded three shutouts.
Mrazek moved into the NHL lead in goals-against average and save percentage and was in the top five in every major goaltending category.
Then he turned 24 years old on Valentine's Day and faced the Boston Bruins on his birthday at Joe Louis Arena.
Detroit would win the game, 6-5, with Mrazek notching the victory. But the game was a harbinger of things to come as he has not been the same goalie since.
Since that game, he has lost his starting job to Jimmy Howard and his numbers are nowhere near elite level. In 2016-17, Mrazek was 18-21-9, with a goals-against average of 3.04, a .901 save percentage with one shutout.
This season, with Howard being stellar in net, Mrazek has appeared in 11 games and is 3-4-1, with a 3.64 goals-against average, .892 save percentage and one shutout.
With Howard listed as day-to-day with a lower body injury and without an exact date of return, Mrazek will start Sunday against Tampa Bay, who will be smarting after being soundly defeated, 6-3, Saturday at Ottawa.
Against the Lightning, Mrazek's career stats are not very good. In 10 games vs. Tampa Bay, he is 1-7-1, with a 3.63 goals-against average, a save percentage of .867 and one shutout.
His playoff numbers versus the Bolts are better than the regular season, (4-6, 1.88 goals-against average, .931 save percentage), but regardless of the Lightning being his archnemesis, Mrazek needs to turn his game around quickly.
"I think in every game, it is important and you can improve yourself to be better, so I'm looking forward to it," Mrazek told reporters after Sunday's morning skate. "Every game is different but this team, we all know how good these guys are, how fast they are. It's a great opportunity to go in the net and have some fun.
"Their offense is very good. We all know that but the game, it starts zero-zero. We all know anything can happen. We're going to go out there and try and win."
Wings coach Jeff Blashill has always believed in Mrazek. His goaltending was essential in Grand Rapids winning the 2013 Calder Cup when Blashill coached the Griffins.
"I think history says he can certainly do it," Blashill said. "He's done it lots at different times in his career so history tells me that he's got the skill set to play elite. Now he's got to go do it.
"How much do you miss Jimmy? Well, that always depends on how the other guys play that step into those spots. When somebody gets hurt, it presents opportunity and if the person stepping into that spot plays great, then it's not as big a deal."
Blashill has been asked numerous times about the mystery of why Mrazek's exceptional game has vanished.
Speculation has ranged from a poor work ethic to a sense of entitlement to basic immaturity (Mrazek is only 25).
Yet this season, Mrazek has had a bit of an awakening. He is less arrogant, more accommodating and has shown a superior work ethic.
"I think it's a challenge, certainly even from the beginning of the year, he knew he was coming in and was behind Jimmy to start, based on performance last year," Blashill said. "It's no different than the year before that Jimmy had to go through.
"When you hit that type of adversity, lots of times it allows you to grow as a person and I think Petr's showing a great deal of maturity in his work ethic, he's showing a great deal of maturity in the way that he's approached, starting in the summer, his training and how he's approached practice. He he's worked hard to put himself in position to be successful. That doesn't guarantee it but I think he's put himself in position to be successful."
Sunday will be Mrazek's first start in net since December 19 in Brooklyn against the Islanders. Detroit won the game and Mrazek played well in a tight game until the Red Wings came alive offensively.
"Yeah, that was a good game against the Islanders. It gave me some confidence and I'm going build from that game," Mrazek said. "I didn't play for a while but I try to stay in shape and work around the ice to be ready anytime I get the call."
Hopefully Mrazek feels it to be a call of urgency.
MCCOLLUM HELPS OPPONENT:Those who know Grand Rapids Griffins goaltender Tom McCollum are not the least bit surprised about a recent story about him that appeared in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Milwaukee Admirals left wing Pierre-Cedric Labrie was halfway through the bus ride from Milwaukee to Grand Rapids when his wife, Jana Pieuze-Roy, texted him that she thought she might be going into labor.
Labrie ended up continuing on after Pieuze-Roy assured him she would be fine.
But she called at 2 a.m. when her water broke and there was no way for him to get home in time with the flight schedules.
Labrie called teammate Mark Zengerle, a former Griffin, to see if he knew anyone on the Griffins who might loan him a car as all the rental cars and chauffeurs were booked because of New Year's parties.
Zengerle texted McCollum, who quickly agreed to let Labrie take his Ford F-150.
Conveniently, the Griffins were heading to Milwaukee two days later so he'd be able to get his truck back.
Labrie was happy to have a truck as he ended up driving through a snowstorm but arrived at the hospital at 6:15 a.m., in time for the birth of his son, Lionel, at 6:54 a.m.
"Tommy's a special person," Blashill said. "He's a great, great kid. A great man, really. I've known him a long time, going back to world junior, I think it was '07. He's a great person. It doesn't surprise me one second that he would go out of his way to help somebody that he doesn't know."
Luke Glendening played with McCollum and was also not surprised.
"Tommy's one of the best guys around, not only in hockey but just in general," Glendening said. "When I read that, it didn't say who it was right away and I knew immediately that Tom would be the guy to do that."
Nick Jensen played with McCollum and agreed with Blashill and Glendening.
"I laughed about it with my wife," Jensen said. "We're just like, 'Yeah, of all guys, we're not surprised it's Tommy McCollum. He's one of the nicest guys I've ever met. He'll bend over backwards for you and expect nothing in return. So it's not surprising at all."
TAMPA BLASTED BY COACH AND SENATORS:On Saturday, the Tampa Bay Lightning fell behind, 3-0, to the Ottawa Senators, came back to tie the game, 3-3, and then watched the Senators score three unanswered goals late in the third to blow away the Bolts, 6-3.
After the game, Lightning head coach Jon Cooper was not happy, telling the press many of his players feel "entitled" and he added that the leaders in the dressing room need to come together and "figure it out."
The Bolts are concluding a five-game road trip against the Wings on Sunday and are 2-1-1, but they haven't been the offensive juggernaut they've been all season during this road swing, scoring only 11 goals in four games for the NHL's number one offense, which averages 3.6 goals a game.
Tampa Bay is seeking its 10th straight win over the Wings and with them being in an ornery mood after Cooper's tongue lashing, you must expect the Lightning to be highly motivated against Detroit.
"It doesn't matter to me. We got to go play hockey and I'm worried about the Detroit Red Wings, I'm not worried about Tampa," Blashill said when he was asked about Tampa Bay coming out angry on Sunday. "I know when we play our best hockey, we match up well with anybody so let's go play our best hockey."