Numbers Say Red Wings Goaltending Has Been Helpful

In a season when the Detroit Red Wings have been undermined by the consistency of their performance level, their goaltending has been reasonably effective most nights.

Cam Talbot’s .916 save percentage ranks fifth among goalies with at least 15 starts. Alex Lyon‘s .911 is also impressive at a time when some are wondering whether the league average save percentage may fall below .900. Detroit’s .906 team save percentage ranks ninth in the NHL. It’s significantly better than the league’s current average of .900.

That’s why the health of Detroit goalies has been the team’s most important issue of late, especially given the anemic nature of the team’s offense.

“I think Alex may be available for Wednesday,” Detroit coach Derek Lalonde told the media. “…Alex pushed it hard. With our goalies we’ve been very cautious. Those lower-body things seem to hang around, but he’s gone through four or five really hard work days, so we’re hoping to have him available for Wednesday and we’ll make a goalie decision from there.”

Officially, Lyon and Talbot are both day-to-day.  Lyon hasn’t played since Nov. 25, and Talbot has practiced only briefly for the past two days. Media attending today’s practice reported Talbot left 15 minutes into it.

“Part of the process, that was the timed planning with him on practice,” Lalonde said.  “I do not see him available for Wednesday. We hope he’ll be available for Friday. That’s trending pretty well.”

Husso Hot

The other good news for Detroit that even Ville Husso, whose career save percentage is .901, has had a save percentage of .914 or better in four of his past five starts.

Of course, this also suggests the Red Wings are playing better defensively than they did last season. But unquestionable, the Red Wings are hoping the raised goaltending level becomes his new standard.  Husso’s play has been significantly better,

The win over Toronto looks like a confidence builder.

“That was a huge moment for him,” Lalonde said. “He was good in that stretch. He didn’t get a win through 4-5 games but he was good. We were good, we were only giving up 8, 9, 10 chances through that whole stretch. So I think we helped him perform. But getting over that hump and getting the win, I thought that was huge for him.

“You can even see the body language in the third. You talk about protecting the lead – two examples of protecting the lead with him in net are the Vancouver game, where he didn’t look overly comfortable down the stretch, probably one he wanted back in the third, one he wanted back in overtime, compared to the body language in the Toronto game protecting the lead says a lot for him. Good for him.”