Detroit Red Wings await word on Ville Husso injury after lousy start to extended trip

The Detroit Red Wings have a day off in Vancouver to reset as they try to rebound from a lousy start to their trip in western Canada.

Thursday should bring clarity to the status of goaltender Ville Husso, who left before the midpoint of the first period of Tuesday’s 8-4 loss to the Oilers in Edmonton. Coach Derek Lalonde told reporters afterwards he didn’t know if it was the same lower-body injury that sidelined Husso in mid-December, but, Lalonde said, “it feels very similar to his previous injury.

Detroit Red Wings goaltender Ville Husso (35) makes a save on Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (93) during the first period at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024.

“It’s very unfortunate for him, especially, he’s fought really hard to get back to this point.”

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Alex Lyon took over for Husso, and is expected to start Thursday when the Wings (27-19-6) play at the Vancouver Canucks.

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Husso was injured when he went down during Leon Draisaitl’s goal at 8:48 of the first period. It was Husso’s first appearance in a Wings uniform since he suffered a lower-body injury in the first period of a 4-3 loss to Anaheim on Dec. 18, but he played a game with the Grand Rapids Griffins at the end of January, and then had the break.

The injury to Husso was eclipsed by how sloppily the Wings performed against the Oilers. The defensive structure — or rather, lack of it — was reminiscent of how the Wings played in the first half, not the tight performances that spurred them to go 9-2-2 in January and win the first game out of the break (against the Canucks).

“It’s going to be a frustrating game to watch back, because we did a lot of good things,” Lalonde said. “To get it to 3-3 and let it slip away — the bottom line is, too much easy offense. And unfortunately, unlike our previous six weeks, our outstanding goaltending in that time didn’t bail us out.”

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Red Wings await word on Ville Husso injury after lousy start to extended trip