The Detroit Red Wings are giving starting goaltender Jimmy Howard the day off on Tuesday, when the team will travel to Columbus to take on the Columbus Blue Jackets, as his wife has just given birth. Howard will stay home with his wife Rachel and his new son, the couple's first child. More accurately, he'll stay in the hospital with his wife. This gives Ty Conklin his second-straight start for the team.
Howard will miss tomorrow's game against Columbus to be with his wife and the new baby.
According to the Detroit Free Press, the team called up goaltender Joey MacDonald from Grand Rapids to be the backup to Conklin, who struggled mightily against the Washington Capitals. They scored seven goals on the night, and Conklin finished with a save percentage of .720, stopping 18-of-25 shots at him, in an effort that handed the Red Wings their first loss of the season.
Still, Conklin's next opponent will be the Blue Jackets, and that figured to be a much easier task, given the circumstances. McDonald will be able to slot into the 23-man roster due to Mike Commodore's presence on the injured reserve list with a knee injury.