Following the first frame of the Red Wings’ game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Detroit netminder John Gibson left with a lower body injury that has since been diagnosed as serious enough to keep him out for the duration of the contest.
With Daniil Tarasov starting the first game and entering the pipes for the second period and beyond versus the Lightning, the Red Wings began Gibson in the second game of their back-to-back series in Florida. Tonight, Braden Point scored both goals, one on the power play and the other at even strength, as Gibson stopped 11 of 13 shots against the Lightning.
Without tonight, the netminder has started in goal ten times this season for the Red Wings, recording a 4-5-1 record and a 3.37 GAA. Gibson became a key figure for Detroit in the second half of last season, after recording a 17-4-1 record between December and January. The veteran would end the year with a 29-22-4 record, starting the third most games of his career in his age-30 season.
The Red Wings have the option to call up promising goalie prospect Michal Postava if Gibson’s injury persists for more than the next two nights, even though Gibson’s condition is currently unknown after tonight. Since Tarasov will have played back-to-back nights in Florida and may not be able to play three games in a four-day period, Detroit will probably call Postava up for their upcoming home game against the Las Vegas Golden Knights.
