St. James: Which goalie should start next for Wings?

The Detroit Red Wings don't play again until the end of the week, when they then will do so twice in 48 hours.

In such situations, the vast majority of the time a team uses one goaltender one night and another the next. So there we have it: Odds are Jimmy Howard and Petr Mrazek will each play again very soon. But in what order?

That's the intrigue rendered after weekend games that saw Howard in net during the 7-2 loss Saturday at Philadelphia and Mrazek in net during the 5-1 victory Sunday at Pittsburgh.

Coach Mike Babcock deferred when asked who'd start Thursday at Florida, saying he wanted to think it over. The Wings took Monday off, but resume practice Tuesday as they prep for a hectic final few weeks.

Babcock made it very clear he didn't fault Howard for the Philly disaster. Babcock also made it clear how highly he thinks of Mrazek's mental toughness, saying after Sunday's game that, "he just thinks that he's going to win and has that capability. We needed a win and we didn't help Howie out (Saturday) and we helped Pete out early and Pete was good."

Babcock: We just needed to bounce back

So who starts next? One thing to consider is that the last time the Wings were in Tampa Bay, where they play Friday, Babcock put that 5-1 loss on Mrazek, saying he "was no good." Mrazek was pulled after allowing five goals on 15 shots.

The Wings really could use a victory against the Lightning in light of the likelihood that will be the first-round playoff match-up and Tampa Bay is 2-0 so far this season. Howard was in net when the teams met back in early November, in what ended as a 4-3 shootout loss.

If Babcock sees Howard as the team's starter - and Babcock has said nothing to indicate otherwise - it makes sense to start Howard against Tampa. That also enables Babcock to ride the hot hand. Mrazek stopped 42 shots in Pittsburgh, so let him at the Panthers. Stoking any idea of goaltending controversy would be avoided because, again, teams generally start different goaltenders when playing back-to-back.

Whatever this week brings, Mrazek, 23, will be a full-time Wing next season. He's done too much at the NHL level to spend another year in the minors, and under any circumstance the Wings are done with oft-injured Jonas Gustavsson as he's on a one-year deal.

Contact Helene St. James: hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames.