You can point to the arrival of Alex Lyon between the posts as the time during the season when the Detroit Red Wings began to really look like a playoff contender.
They’re looking like that type of team again over the past couple of games. And once again, it’s a resurgence in Lyon’s game that is driving the bus toward a postseason position.
In his last two games, he was outplaying a pair of Vezina Trophy winners in Florida’s Sergei Bobrovsky and Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy. Detroit would garner three of four points from those two road games.
Lyon figures to be opposing another goalie with that pedigree on Friday in Igor Shesterkin. The Red Wings are playing host to the New York Rangers at Little Caesars Arena.
“He looks a lot more comfortable with his game,” Detroit coach Derek Lalonde said of Lyon. “When I see him out playing pucks, helping us on the breakout, when he’s controlling rebounds, he just looks sharp.
“It feels like it’s going to take a good play to beat him and I think that’s where he was at in Florida (Saturday) and that’s where he was at in Tampa (Monday) and it exudes some confidence. You can tell when a goalie is on his A game, and he’s been there.
“It’s a good sign for us. It’s no surprise it correlates with some good hockey from our team and some points.”
Lyon Is Red Wings Masterton Nominee
A career minor leaguer who’s battled for every minute he’s ever earned in an NHL net, this is the first season that the ??-year-old Lyon has spent his entire campaign in the show. It’s that intestinal fortitude, coupled with the success he’s enjoying, that’s led to the journeyman veteran being this season’s Red Wings nominee for the Masterton Trophy. That award goes to a player who displays dedication and perserverance, and that description fits Lyon to a T.
In his first season as an NHL No. 1 goalie, Lyon’s resume already shows him playing a career-high 39 games. He’s 19-16-4, with two shutouts, a .907 save percentage and a 3.00 GAA.
“His mental fortitude, his play,” Lalonde suggested as to Lyon’s best assets. “His mental toughness taking on this workload. He’s been remarkable for us.”
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