Stanly Cup Playoff Report: Howard Enduring a Spring Blizzard

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Through the first two games of Detroit's Western Conference Semifinal Jimmy Howard has been enduring his own private blizzard.

In Game 1, Howard was the recipient of a Joe Pavelski snow shower, and when he retaliated with a poke at the Sharks center, both players were assessed roughing minors.

It was even snowier during the Red Wings' 2-1 loss to the Sharks at HP Pavilion on Sunday. Howard was snowed under four times, including a return engagement by Pavelski and a whiteout courtesy of Joe Thornton.

Captain Nicklas Lidstrom, in fact, said an unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty was merited and probably would put an end to the barrage of snowflakes that keeps landing on Howard.

Lidstrom said as much to the officials.

"We mentioned it several times to them," he said after Sunday's loss. "I don't know why they keep allowing them to do it. We keep telling the refs. It's up to the refs. They could stop it right away by calling it and it's pretty obvious that they're trying to do it. It's really easy for the refs to do something about that."

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Stanly Cup Playoff Report: Howard Enduring a Spring Blizzard