MLive’s Ansar Khan wonders aloud whether Ville Husso has re-earned the Red Wings’ starting goaltender’s job over the course of the team’s exhibition season:
Husso was the only Red Wings goaltender to play two full games. He posted a 2.28 goals-against average and .936 save percentage in eight periods overall.
“He had a little extra load and that was by design and he handled it very well,” coach Derek Lalonde said. “There were some question marks with Ville, physically, coming into the preseason and within his three games he answered those questions.”
Husso, 29, missed the majority of last season with two separate lower-body injuries. He hadn’t played a full game with the Red Wings since Dec. 14.
“It was a good summer doing stuff and I feel good to go,” Husso said. “I’m confident. It’s a nice thing to do, get a couple of full games, get back to the routine, game yesterday, practice today and feel the body again. It’s nice to get those games and get some reps.”
Husso appears to have earned the starting job, but Lalonde did not commit to a starter for Thursday’s season-opener against Pittsburgh at Little Caesars Arena (7 p.m., Bally Sports Detroit).
“A good problem,” Lalonde said. “We came into (camp), talked about a blank slate. We came in hoping someone could show us they could help us win on night one and the positive is all three did.”
Continued (paywall)
