In a twist that few could have anticipated at the start of this season, goaltender Alex Lyon has taken over as the de facto starter for the Detroit Red Wings thanks not only to his own strong play between the pipes, but also thanks to the injury woes suffered by Ville Husso.
In fact, Lyon began the season 3rd on Detroit's depth chart behind both Husso and veteran James Reimer, who was also signed by GM Steve Yzerman this past summer. Right now, the Red Wings are in the midst of a playoff chase, holding the 1st Wild Card position as they're currently three points ahead of the WC2 Tampa Bay Lightning and also have a game in hand.
For former Red Wings Stanley Cup winner Darren McCarty, it's Lyon who is the Most Valuable Player for the team this season.
"Alex Lyon, to me, is the MVP of this team," McCarty said. "Without him making these saves - what did we say earlier on here, we just need a guy to make a save? That's what's happening. It's confidence as they're building. But it's legit. And you feel that they're building their momentum and maturity. You look at the balance that they have."
Lyon has established himself as one of the genuine unsung heroes for the Red Wings this season, boasting an impressive record of 18-8-2 with a 2.69 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage, complemented by a pair of shutouts.
Head coach Derek Lalonde confirmed that it will be Lyon who gets the start tomorrow evening against the visiting Islanders at Little Caesars Arena.
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