If you’re worried about the Red Wings' goaltending, just take a look out west-Anaheim’s situation is downright chaotic right now.
The Ducks have been one of this season’s early surprises, sitting atop the Pacific Division with a 16-9-1 record. A big reason for their surge?
Lukas Dostal. The 23-year-old netminder has been steady in net, posting an 11-5-1 record with a 2.81 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage.
Solid numbers for a young goalie helping to anchor a team that wasn’t exactly expected to contend this early.
But the Ducks’ momentum hit a serious snag over the weekend. First, Dostal went down Friday with an upper-body injury.
Then, just two days later, his backup-veteran Petr Mrazek-left a game with an apparent injury of his own. Mrazek, who has a history of groin issues, clearly looked uncomfortable as he exited the ice, and there’s no official word yet on how long he’ll be out.
So now, with two goalies shelved, Anaheim has turned to Ville Husso-another name Red Wings fans will recognize. Husso started the season in the AHL with the San Diego Gulls, but he’s suddenly been thrust into a crucial role for a team leading its division.
To his credit, Husso’s stepped in and held his own. In three starts since joining the Ducks, the Finnish netminder has gone 2-1 with a 2.70 GAA.
His save percentage (.880) isn’t where you’d want it long-term, but he looked sharp in his most recent outing-a 4-1 win over the St. Louis Blues.
The Ducks are hoping Husso can keep things steady while Dostal recovers, which is expected to take two to three weeks. Mrazek’s timeline remains unclear, but any extended absence would put even more pressure on Husso to carry the load.
Meanwhile in Detroit...
As the Red Wings prepare for tonight’s matchup, head coach Todd McLellan has been keeping a close eye on the red-hot Grand Rapids Griffins. The Wings’ AHL affiliate has been off to a strong start, and that’s caught the attention of the big club-especially when it comes to potential reinforcements.
One name that continues to surface: Sebastian Cossa. The 6-foot-6 goalie has been developing steadily in Grand Rapids, and the question now is whether Detroit might consider giving him a look at the NHL level-either as a spot starter or just to get his feet wet.
On the blue line, Moritz Seider made it clear this week that he doesn’t think the team needs to add a traditional enforcer. Seider, who plays a tough, physical game himself, believes the Red Wings can handle their business without going out and getting a so-called “tough guy.”
Goaltending Woes in the Motor City
The Red Wings have their own goaltending concerns. Tonight’s starter, John Gibson, has struggled in recent outings-giving up 15 goals over his last three starts.
That’s four or more goals allowed in eight of his 13 appearances this season. For comparison, Cam Talbot-who’s split starts with Gibson-has allowed four or more goals just four times in 15 games.
That kind of disparity raises questions about who should be getting the bulk of the starts moving forward, especially with Detroit trying to stay competitive in a tight Atlantic Division.
Around the League
In Boston, the Bruins will once again be without David Pastrnak. He’s not traveling with the team and will miss his third straight game when Boston visits Detroit tonight. That’s a big absence for the Bruins, and a potential opportunity for the Red Wings to capitalize on a weakened opponent.
Bottom line: Whether it’s Anaheim scrambling to patch together a goaltending plan or Detroit trying to find consistency in net, the position remains a pressure cooker across the NHL. And as we’ve seen time and again, a hot goalie can carry a team-but a cold one can sink it just as fast.