The Detroit Red Wings picked up a massive win on the road Sunday night. Detroit kicked off a four-game road trip against the New Jersey Devils. There were some tense moments, but in the end, John Gibson and Cam Talbot combined for a 31-save shutout victory.
Overshadowing the game a bit was Gibson's injury status. He left Sunday's win at the end of the second period and did not return. He took a hit near the end of the second, but was able to finish the period. After the win, head coach Todd McLellan provided an update on the status of his star goaltender.
“He got hit in a bad spot and didn't feel good after that happened. So he should be fine; I would think,” the Red Wings bench boss said, via NHL.com's Mike Morreale.
Gibson has been one of the best goaltenders in the league since the start of December. After the win, the 32-year-old netminder has a save percentage of .925 since the beginning of December. Overall, he ranks 11th in the NHL with a 3.4 WAR among goaltenders, according to Evolving Hockey.
The Red Wings are continuing their push for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Detroit traded for Justin Faulk before the deadline and saw him make his debut on Sunday. With Sunday's win, Detroit is third in the Atlantic Division on 79 points. They trail the first-place Buffalo Sabres by five points.
Detroit has not experienced playoff hockey in a decade. They are on the inside track of returning to the postseason, though. And it appears as if their star goaltender has avoided a serious injury, giving him the chance to continue leading the way on the ice.
