EDMONTON, Alberta -- Ty Conklin couldn't capitalize Saturday on his opportunity to secure the backup goaltending job for the Detroit Red Wings in the absence of injured Jimmy Howard.

Now, Joey MacDonald has a chance to show what he can do.

Coach Mike Babcock said the competition for the job is wide open.

"Someone's got to win games," Babcock said, following Saturday's 5-4 shootout loss in Edmonton. "We got to win games."

Howard is out for two weeks or more with a broken right index finger. The Red Wings need solid goaltending to avoid losing ground in a highly competitive Central Division.

This is the opportunity MacDonald envisioned when he signed a two-year contract in July.

"It is a good opportunity, looking forward to it all year, that's why I signed here, to be on this team," MacDonald said. "I didn't sign to play in Grand Rapids, but in the meantime things are going pretty good down there, getting to play a lot and getting the game back where it should be."

MacDonald, who turns 32 on Tuesday, is 11-11-3, with a 2.63 goals-against average and .913 save percentage, this season for the Griffins. He went 5-5-3, with a 2.58 GAA and .917 save percentage for the Red Wings last season, filling in for the injured Chris Osgood.

"Whenever you get an opportunity to play, especially on this team, you got to take advantage of it, whenever it is, (early) in the season or near the end of the year," MacDonald said. "You want to give the team a chance to win every night."

That is what he did Saturday, stopping 22-of-23 shots in two periods plus overtime, in relief of Conklin, who allowed three goals on nine shots in the first period. But Babcock said after the game he hadn't decided who would start Monday in Phoenix, when the team wraps up a four-game trip.

"I'm not concerned about (MacDonald) at all, I'm not concerned about Conks either," Babcock said. "We'll get it worked out."