Notes: Red Wings hope to build off victory

DETROIT -- During the course of a hockey season, a number of reoccurring themes will emerge.
One of the main themes the Red Wings have dwelled on is the need to shoot more. Players and coaches are in full agreement that the Wings are guilty of trying to make a play rather than shooting the puck.

In Wednesday's 2-1 shootout victory over San Jose, Detroit launched 44 shots at the Sharks net, a season high, which pleased Wings coach Jeff Blashill.
"I just think our guys hopefully recognize that one way to more offense - and it didn't lead to more (Wednesday) night but it certainly led to lots of chances - is dirty goals and dirty goals are produced by getting pucks to the net and creating chaos," Blashill said. "I also thought within that shot total, (18) of those shots were from our defensemen and that's an area, we need more offense from our back end and an easy way to do that is to have a shooting mentality."
Blashill realizes his team is full of playmakers and it may be difficult to change their mindset, but if the Red Wings are going to make a serious playoff run, they have to get pucks on the net.
"A lot of guys on this team have a natural tendency to try to make a play," he said. "We just have to get through to ourselves that we got to have a shooting mentality. It doesn't mean that we can't make a play when a play is there but you have to have a shooting mentality. It's just something we're going to continue to harp on."
Defensemen Nick Jensen and Mike Green led the Wings with six shots apiece, with fellow blueliners Trevor Daley (four shots) and Danny DeKeyser (two shots) rounding out Detroit's defensive corps' shooting barrage.
"We played faster. I think our 'D' did a good job of getting shots through," center Dylan Larkin (four shots) said. "We had a lot of 'O' zone time, that's something we have to do every night. It's what we've got to do. We have to win 2-1 and 3-1 and we can't have nights where we think we're just going to walk in and not have to battle.
"So, we did that; we knew we were going to have to battle. It was in a shootout, but it was still two points. We have to get as many points any way we can. That's a good start.
You could sense the Wings were upbeat after Thursday's practice at the BELFOR Training Center. Beating San Jose was only one victory, but sometimes it's the way you win that can propel a team to roll off several wins in a row.
"Something's got to give for us, right? We played extremely well, for the entire game and the shootout," goalie Jimmy Howard said. "Hopefully with that work ethic that we had last night, it carries over into tomorrow night (Friday at Carolina) and hopefully we're able to get a couple more."
Before practice on Tuesday, the Wings held a meeting where they agreed they have to win now or their season could become meaningless in a short period of time.
"There is a sense of urgency, absolutely," Larkin said. "It's something in the group we have in here; guys have been there, guys that know what it takes and there's guys that haven't been there and we're learning what it takes and the learning has to stop and we just have to do it.
"That's the good news, we have 33 games left, we've got to make sure we're ready to go every night."
MRAZEK SHINES WITH HOWARD'S SUPPORT: Goaltender Petr Mrazek finally seems to have found his game. In his last four appearances, he's posted a 3-0-1 record with a 1.02 goals-against average and a .965 save percentage.
His 30-save performance against the Sharks has earned him the start in net Friday in Carolina.
With Mrazek regaining his form, Howard has taken a back seat, which cannot be easy for the veteran, arguably the Red Wings' MVP this season.
"It's just the way it is. I understand, I've been around long enough. I realize the team needs wins and points and he's giving that to us," Howard said.
He's not sure whether he'll play Saturday in Florida, since the Wings will be playing back-to-back. Blashill was insistent on Thursday he has not decided which goalie will get the nod against the Panthers.
"Right now we're just thinking about Friday night and Petr's going to play," Blashill said. "I think any coach would tell you that the more choices you have of guys playing great, the better off it is. So those might be hard decisions but they're good spots to be in."
For his part, Howard will continue to work hard in practice and will be ready when called upon. He is determined to make the most of his next start.
"Obviously we both want to be out there playing at the same time and that's definitely not the case," Howard said. "You just have to (be ready). When you're not in there, you got to support the guys, you got to work hard and when you get the chance, take the ball and run with it."
Blashill, a former goalie, admires how Howard and Mrazek are handling what could be a delicate situation.
"It is unique," Blashill said. "There's certainly stories of goalies that got along great in those competitive situations and there's certainly stories of guys that didn't. I think for sure what our two guys have been is very professional.
"They both want the team to win, they're both going to compete as hard as they can to be the guy in the net, everybody wants to play just like everybody else in the room. But they've handled it very, very professionally."
TATAR'S NEW TRAVELING COMPANION:Tomas Tatar's shootout goal against Sharks goalie Martin Jones has gone viral.
His backhand toe drag move was memorable and something he thought about when he was tapped for the shootout.
"Usually I don't think about what I'm going to do," Tatar said. "From what I watched from the other shooters and where the goalie was standing, I told myself, 'I'm going to try that.'"
When he was asked if he would be able to try the move during a game, Tatar didn't exactly rule it out.
"Hard to say, in a real game when you have a breakaway you don't have that much time," he said. "It's possible, but when you're going into a shootout you have a little time to think, 'what are you going to do?'
"So, I thought to myself, 'I have a chance to do that (backhand toe drag) now.'"
It was Tatar bobblehead night at Little Caesars Arena on Wednesday. The Wings were 0-1-2 in previous bobblehead nights this season.
But Tatar developed a bond with his bobblehead, which he believes helped reverse Detroit's fortunes. Before the game he rubbed the head of his bobblehead for luck.
Since the Wings won, he now has a new road buddy.
"I packed it for the road for this trip, so we'll see how it will go," Tatar said.
Will he continue to rub the head of his bobblehead?
"I will try, it worked out -- we won," he said.