DETROIT -- The consistency Jimmy Howard displayed since becoming the Detroit Red Wings' starting goaltender early last season has carried over into this year.

Howard is off to a strong start with a 4-0-1 record and has gone 20 consecutive regular-season games without a loss in regulation (17-0-3) dating to March 9, 2010, (a 4-2 loss to Calgary).

"It's more the way the team's been playing in front of me," Howard said. "When they're putting up four to five goals a game, you should win.

"One of my goals every night is to at least get one point and just battle and give the guys a chance."

After sitting out two games with a sore back,

at Calgary, where the Red Wings start a three-game trip to western Canada.

According to Elias Sports Bureau, Howard is tied with teammate Chris Osgood for the second-longest streak without a regulation loss since the NHL returned from the lockout in 2005-06.

Osgood went 15-0-5 from Jan. 13, 2007, to Nov. 7, 2007. Jose Theodore went 23 games without a regulation loss for Washington last season (20-0-3).

Howard's early season performance is particularly important. After finishing second in Calder Trophy balloting for NHL Rookie of the Year, he was eager to show he is not a one-year wonder.

"It's something I thought about all summer, getting out of the gate. I didn't want to tumble coming out of the box," Howard said. "The first month has been pretty good. It's just something I have to build off of."

Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom said Howard is playing with the same confidence he showed last season.

"He started where he left off last year," Lidstrom said. "He gives a chance for the team to win every night, especially when he makes those key saves at key moments, whether it's on the penalty kill or when we're up by a goal. He's been coming up big at the right moments."

After practicing Monday without pain in his lower back, Howard said, "Everything's pretty much back to normal."

His timing was perfect, because Osgood left five minutes into practice due to tightness in his groin. An MRI showed inflammation but no tear.

Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said Osgood, who accompanied the team on the trip, likely won't dress Wednesday. His status for the final two games, Friday in Edmonton and Saturday in Vancouver, is questionable.

Detroit coach Mike Babcock knows groin injuries tend to linger, particularly for goalies.

"I'm hoping that it's nothing, but with groins, nothing is usually two weeks," Babcock said.

Joey MacDonald will continue to be the backup.

Howard alters mask design

Howard's new mask arrived Monday. Designed by Ray Bishop of Grand Blanc, it is similar to last year's, featuring Howard's dream car, a 1967 Shelby Mustang, and the retired numbers of franchise greats Terry Sawchuk (1), Ted Linsday (7), Gordie Howe (9), Alex Delvecchio (10), Sid Abel (12) and Steve Yzerman (19).

Bishop incorporated the Detroit skyline in the new design and removed the tachometer.

"Not too many people were getting the tachometer," Howard said. "Everybody was asking why I had a clock."

He hopes to use the mask in a game during the western Canada trip.

Howard said he gets a new mask every year.

"They break down pretty (regularly), especially when you're only wearing one every single day, sweating," he said. "They get pretty disgusting."

Howard has been wearing his backup mask, which features the Doc Ock character from Spider-Man.