DETROIT -- While his teammates practiced Sunday afternoon, Detroit Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard was in the training room at Joe Louis Arena receiving treatment on his sprained left shoulder.

His spirits were good. He is relieved that he did not suffer a serious injury Saturday night, when Toronto's Joffrey Lupul fell on top of him in the third period.

An MRI revealed no damage. Howard is listed as day-to-day. He is hoping to return for Wednesday's home game against St. Louis. That appears overly optimistic. But he is confident he'll play some games before the playoffs.

“I'll be ready for the playoffs. We got enough games left. Still a couple of weeks away,'' Howard said. "Hopefully this doesn't keep me out (too long). Hopefully I can come back possibly Wednesday. I'm going to do the best I can to try to get back as soon as possible, icing it like crazy and continue to work with (trainers).''

Howard said he "dodged a bullet.''

“I was just hoping it wasn't anything serious and it wasn't. The MRI came back, it was fine, just a sprain,'' Howard said. “My arm just got caught underneath him. Where my glove was, my arm didn't really spread out and he just landed on my shoulder.''

The club has recalled Thomas McCollum from Toledo (ECHL). He'll play for the Walleye tonight and then dress as Joey MacDonald's backup for Monday's game against the Chicago Blackhawks at the Joe (7:30 p.m., Versus).

MacDonald has not allowed a goal in 109 minutes, 45 seconds, dating back to March 3 in San Jose.

McCollum, the club's top pick in the 2008 entry draft (30th overall) has struggled in Grand Rapids, where he is 6-11-2, with a 3.18 goals-against average and .881 save percentage. He is 11-8-2, with a 2.69 GAA and .911 save percentage for Toledo.

Coach Mike Babcock said Howard is "going to take a little break.''

"I don't know exactly when he'll be back,'' Babcock said. “The bottom line, just like any other player who's got an injury, he's got to get back and get healthy and get playing. Ideally it won't be very long.''