The short answer?

Yes, and rightfully so.

The long answer? Keep reading.

The Detroit Red Wings just recently ended what seemed like their longest losing streak in decades - and then proceeded to win the next four games. The team's franchise goaltender, Jimmy Howard, was in net for six of the seven consecutive losses. However, it was backup goalie Jonas Gustavsson who was between the pipes for three of the four games that the Wings had won once the slump ended.

Howard was in goal when the Red Wings faced off with the Flyers on Wednesday night, and his struggles continued as he blew a two-goal third period lead and Detroit lost the game by a score of 6-3.

Howard, who was given a substantial contract extension a year ago, has won only six of his 20 starts. Gustavsson, on the other hand, has won seven of his eight.

Here's how the numbers stack up. Howard is 6-8-6 with a 2.70 goals against average and a .909 save percentage. Gustavsson is 7-0-1 with a 2.16 goals against average and a .929 save percentage.

Howard has had serious trouble holding leads late in games and preventing late back-breaking goals. Some will say that he has cost the Red Wings several points by giving up tying goals in the final minutes of the third and then losing the game in overtime or a shootout.

However, some others will argue that he is the reason the Red Wings were able to get out of regulation with a point in some of those games.

Regardless, whatever is happening has not been working out so far.

We have seen much better out of Jimmy Howard and should expect him to come back near the level he has played at in his four years as Detroit's starting goalie. The problem is that there is no way to tell if or when he will turn it around.

Detroit has won nearly every game that Gustavsson has started, and has gained at least one point in all eight of those games. He has clearly been the better goaltender this season and head coach Mike Babcock has been rightfully giving him more opportunities to play.

Babcock should continue to go with the hot hand in Gustavsson until he cools down or Howard heats up. One has to believe that by the time spring rolls around, Howard will be back to his old self.

For now, though, Gustavsson has been winning games and should be the one getting the majority of the starts.