Petr Mrazek is playing his worst hockey of the season at the absolute worst possible time.
With his team's playoff hopes hanging in the balance, the Detroit Red Wings goaltender was called upon to make the start Tuesday in Montreal, only to allow two goals on seven first-period shots and earn a seat on the bench to begin the second period.
In came Jimmy Howard in relief, and not for the first time in the past several weeks.
That makes five times since Feb. 14 that Petr Mrazek has been pulled.
— Helene St. James (@HeleneStJames) March 30, 2016
At one point this season, it appeared as though Mrazek may have been in position to take over the starting gig on a permanent basis, but his performance so far in March leaves much to be desired.
| Month | Games Played | Save Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| October | 6 | .921 |
| November | 8 | .941 |
| December | 10 | .913 |
| January | 9 | .952 |
| February | 10 | .910 |
| March | 10 | .884 |
Heading into Tuesday's action, the Red Wings were tied with the idle Philadelphia Flyers in points, but with one more game played.
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