The Detroit Red Wings are on a roll despite a 5-3 loss to the New York Islanders on Thursday. Detroit are 16-5-2 since New Year's Eve, and are well positioned to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. One major reason for this surge has been veteran netminder Alex Lyon. Lyon, much like he did for the Florida Panthers last season, is leading a team toward playoff contention again.

Speaking of the Panthers, the Red Wings take on their division rivals on Saturday. Lyon will man the pipes for the Winged Wheel in that contest. As a result, the 31-year-old Minnesota native will play his 10th game since New Year's Eve. Furthermore, it'll mark the 23rd time in the last 26 games that Lyon will get the crease.

Red Wings' Alex Lyon draws Tom Brady inspiration

This is nothing new for Lyon. In fact, he's used to this sort of thing throughout his professional career. For the veteran puck-stopper, it's all about mentality. He mentioned how even the best athletes don't necessarily go above and beyond when the lights are brightest.

“It’s like the Tom Brady mentality. If you put pressure on yourself during practice, all of the sudden those moments become simple, and you have a game plan. And so, that’s what it’s really about for me,” the Red Wings goalie said, via NHL.com. “I think as a goalie, that’s the way you think about it. You’re not trying to go out there and do extra. You’ve got to go out there and just do your thing.”

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A hockey net with the silhouette of a goalie in front of it, defending the net. The net is surrounded by question marks and next to it is the logo for the Detroit Red Wings.

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So far, Lyon has done his thing. He has played 29 games for Detroit this year after beginning the season as the third-choice option. He has an 18-9-2 record with two shutouts and a save percentage of .912. The Red Wings are 33-21-6 after their loss to the Islanders but remain two points ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning for the top wild-card spot in the East.

The Red Wings and Panthers meet in a huge showdown on Saturday. If Detroit wins, it'll greatly boost their playoff chances ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline. Let's see if Alex Lyon can steal a game from his former team and continue the momentum he's given his current team.