Jimmy Howard: Nursing Sore Groin

Howard suffered a minor groin injury during Friday's win over the Maple Leafs and will not be available to back up Jonas Gustavsson on Saturday, MLive.com's Ansar Khan reports.

Analysis:

General manager Ken Holland suggested Howard's injury wasn't worrisome, and that the goalie would in all likelihood be ready to go for Tuesday's game against the Canadiens, but the situation still bears watching. Even minor groin concerns can often prove more problematic than initially thought, so Howard will need to show the requisite progress over the next couple of days before receiving clearance to play. As a short-term measure, the Red Wings placed Howard on the 48-hour goalie injured reserve, and in a corresponding move, recalled Petr Mrazek, who will serve as Gustavsson's backup Saturday.