HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HOWIE!

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday assigned goaltender Jimmy Howard to the Grand Rapids Griffins. He is expected to celebrate his 24th birthday by starting tonight, when the Griffins host the Lake Erie Monsters at 7 p.m. at Van Andel Arena.

Howard received this season’s fourth summons to the parent club on Monday and served as the understudy to Chris Osgood in the Wings’ 2-1 win over St. Louis last night. He shows a 0-2-0 record, a 2.13 goals against average and a 0.926 save percentage in four games with Detroit this season.

In 48 games with the Griffins, Howard owns a 19-25-2 mark with a 2.78 GAA and a 0.910 save percentage. With his next game played he will tie his career high of 49 appearances established last season, and he is set to become the seventh goalie in franchise history to log at least 50 games in a single campaign.