The Daily: Every Red Wings Preseason Goalie Start Critical; Kane Playing

Alex Lyon and Cam Talbot did what they could Friday to advance their case to be the Red Wings’ No. 1 goalie with a combined 22 saves in Detroit’s 2-0 win against the Chicago Blackhawks.  Max Smith of Detroit Hockey Now summed where the Detroit goalie competition is at in his story

Tonight, Ville Husso will offer his rebuttal in Detroit’s third preseason game (vs. the Pittsburgh). Husso stopped 17 of 19 shots in his Wednesday game against Chicago. Showing he is fully recovered from last season’s injuries was a necessary step for Husso.

“He needs reps,”  Lalonde said. “He was really sharp in the first. It’s a good sign when you’ve got a few good looks outside of that A scoring chance. And he made it look easy with tracking into his hands. Obviously the second period probably showed a little of that rust. Obviously. I think those goals he’ll start to eliminate going forward with some repetition. But yeah, some positives for sure.”

The key for Husso to improve his save percentage. Wednesday’s .894 save percentage is similar to what Detroit fans have seen from him since he came to Detroit. Husso was at .896 for 56 games in his first season in Detroit, and was at .892 last in 19 games. The league average was at .903 last season.

Red Wings In Case You Missed It

Defenseman Moritz Seider showed he is fully vested in the Red Wings’ announced intention to upgrade their defensive play this season. He had four blocked shots in Detroit’s 2-0 win against Chicago Friday.

Don’t forget about Alex Lyon in Detroit’s open competition to be the No. 1 goalie. He showed last season he can carry a team for an extended period.

Rookie defenseman Albert Johansson, as inexperienced as he is, could still be a steadying influence. He plays a safe, defensive game. Isn’t that an approach the Red Wings are seeking?

Red Wings Extra

The Red Wings (2-0) in preseason are home tonight to face the Pittsburgh Penguins. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin,  Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang won’t be playing for the Penguins. Patrick Kane will play tonight for Detroit. The Red Wings, committed to improving defensively this season, have given up two goals in their first two games.

Hockey Now Network

Colorado: Nikolai Kovalenko has a strong opportunity to play among the Avalanche’s top six forwards. Colorado Avalanche.

Montreal: Ivan Demidov is finding his scoring rhythm in Habs’ training camp. Montreal Canadiens. 

Pittsburgh: Rutger McGroarty and Jesse Puljujarvi two players competing hard for roster spots, will be in Pittsburgh’s lineup against the Red Wings tonight at Little Caesars Arena. Pittsburgh Penguins.

San Jose: Sheng Peng writes about high-profile rookies Will Smith and Macklin Celebrini are having plenty of fun together.  San Jose Sharks.