Sports

For the first time in 2013, the Detroit Red Wings didn't start Howard on Thursday. This will give him an opportunity to start fresh after getting off to a 3.07 GAA and .892 save percentage in nine games. "It hasn't been going exactly the way I would have liked out there," Howard said. "You use this (day off) to do more work with (goaltending coach) Jimmy (Bedard), which I haven't been able to do a lot of. You want to be out there every game for the guys but it's one of those things. It's good to just hit the refocus button here." Howard will probably be back between the pipes on Saturday, although it wouldn't be shocking if Detroit decided to rest him again on Sunday.