Catching up with Jimmy Howard, and a Twitteriffic Wednesday

Want to know a little more about NHL playoff MVP Evgeni Malkin? Ask Jimmy Howard.

Howard, the former University of Maine goalie, was with the Detroit Red Wings as one of their "Black Aces" during the Stanley Cup Finals and got a closer view of one of the NHL's most dynamic players.

"Once he gets the puck, it's hard to get him off it," Howard said of Malkin, Pittsburgh's center who scored 14 goals and 22 assists in 24 playoff games. "He has unbelievable strength in his core area. And he looked a lot more comfortable in the playoffs this year."

As for Malkin's teammate, Sidney Crosby?

"Sid, he can do it all. He's really good at finding open areas behind the net, even little open areas," Howard said.

Howard left Maine after his junior year to turn pro, and Red Wings assistant general manager Jim Nill talked about the learning curve that Howard faced when he joined the Red Wings system.

"He's been through a great maturing process," Nill said. "He was one of the top goalies in college hockey, and at any level that you play and you're one of the best players, you think that it's a small step to get to the NHL. You get there and you realize, there are great players there and you have to fit into that mold.

"You go to pro hockey and you're playing against guys like Steve Yzerman and Martin Brodeur, and some of the best players in the world."

Like Chris Osgood, Detroit's veteran goalie.

"Jimmy came in and was a big guy coming out of college, and he stepped into the dressing room and Chris Osgood was the star," Nill said. "Jimmy earned a good working relationship with Chris by working hard every day, being positive and being a good teammate."

Howard plans to spend this summer in Maine, preparing for his wedding in August, training for the upcoming season and, as he said, "playing a lot of golf."

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Speaking of former UMaine goalies, St. Louis Blues President John Davidson told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the Blues want Ben Bishop to continue to develop in the American Hockey League.

"I'd like to see him play 60 games in Peoria rather than 20 in St.
Louis," Davidson said. "I don't think he'd think that way. The mind-set is to do it yesterday. I like that push and the hunger, but you have to pay a price
to get there. Ben is a good, young goaltender. He needs to play."

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It's Wednesday, so that means it's Twitteriffic! Here are five to follow for this week:

@CoachTimArmy - the Providence hockey coach and former Portland Pirates coach says it in 140 characters or less. Speaking of ...

@Sportsin140 - a directory of college and pro sports personalities who Twitter ...

@martinhavlat - like Martin Havlat of the Chicago Blackhawks

@HallOfFameGuy - Tweets from the Hockey Hall of Fame

@BadgerMHockey - Updates from Madison on Wisconsin hockey, Bucky and friends

And, of course, follow the Press Herald sports department: @PPHSports