Fear of another lower-body injury was the main reason why Detroit Red Wings G Alex Lyon departed Saturday night’s game.
The Detroit Red Wings are facing a critical juncture with injuries to their team, as was evident during Saturday night’s 1-0 loss against the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center. Starting goaltender Alex Lyon left the game early in the 2nd period and didn’t return. Given his previous history of lower-body injuries, it’s understandable why he’d be cautious about potential long-term implications.
Alex Lyon departed Saturday’s game and didn’t return
Lyon exited Saturday’s game early in the second period, seemingly having strained something while making a save. Ville Husso stepped in as his replacement for the remainder of the night. Encouragingly, it’s been reported that his injury isn’t anticipated to sideline him for an extended period.
“I thought it was one thing and I was fortunate it was not that,” Lyon stated on Monday following practice at Little Caesars Arena. “I’m feeling pretty good today. I’m optimistic.”
It’s a relief for Lyon, who had previously contended with hip and groin issues in his career, to confirm that this recent incident wasn’t related. His exit on Saturday was largely precautionary, stemming from concerns about a potentially more severe injury, easing his apprehensions regarding his past health concerns
“I think it was mostly out of fear,” Lyon said. “You just know your body and how things feel and something happens and you’re like, ‘Oh, man, this could be something that’s scary.’ It turned out it wasn’t that. It turned out fortunate.
Lyon has dealt with lower-body injuries in the past during his career
Lyon’s apprehension about another injury setback is completely understandable, especially given his prior experiences with such setbacks in his career. It’s natural to be wary of reoccurring issues, given their potential impact on performance and recovery.
“Early on in my career I had some hip/groin type of issues. I worked really hard to rectify that. So that’s kind of where your initial fear goes. If this is something bad, I don’t want to push it and make it worse than it already is. But I know the Philly team and the staff very well. I actually knew the doctor pretty well from my time in Philly, so it was nice to see him.”
Head coach Derek Lalonde is deliberating on whether Lyon might require a short placement on Injured Reserve. This move would entail Lyon’s unavailability for a minimum of four games as part of the process
“We’ll see more today, but I think he’s going to be out for a little bit,” Lalonde said. “Does he need to go on the IR? I think we’re working through that. He will not be on the ice today or tomorrow, which would make him unavailable for Wednesday.”
TL;DR (too long didn’t read)
- Detroit Red Wings goaltender Alex Lyon departed Saturday night’s game against the Flyers after suffering an apparent injury
- There was a positive update regarding Lyon’s injury, indicating that it’s not anticipated to keep him out for an extended duration.
- In his comments today, Lyon mentioned feeling good and clarified that concerns about another lower-body ailment were the primary reason behind his departure from Saturday’s game.
Bottom Line: Heal up, Alex!
Before being replaced in the game after conceding four goals against Ottawa on December 9, Lyon had shown a commendable performance for the Red Wings. He boasted an impressive 4-1 record with a goals-against-average of under 2.
Given Lyon’s unavailability for the foreseeable future, the Detroit Red Wings will rely on the tandem of Husso and James Reimer until Lyon’s return. Husso is slated to start tonight’s game against the visiting Anaheim Ducks, with Reimer in the backup role.
