Making a conditioning start with the Grand Rapids Griffins, Ville Husso delivered a 25-save shutout
Making a conditioning start with the Grand Rapids Griffins, Ville Husso delivered a 25-save shutout
Last night at Van Andel Arena, Ville Husso saw his first game action since being injured in the first period of the Detroit Red Wings' December 18th loss to the Anaheim Ducks. Playing for the Grand Rapids Griffins, Husso couldn't have played better in his return to game action, delivering a 25-save shutout to power the Griffins to a 3-0 win over the Belleville Senators.
Through two periods, the game remained scoreless, but, in the third, Jonatan Berggren scored twice (once seven minutes in, once in the final 30 seconds with an empty net, and Carter Mazur added another in between to power the victory.
2023-24 has been the season the Red Wings expected for Husso. The 28-year-old Fin entered the year tabbed as Detroit's undisputed number one option in net, projected to start between 55 and 60 games.
Instead, Husso has battled both inconsistent form and injury, having now played just 18 games with the season past the halfway line to the tune of an .893 save percentage and 3.53 goals against average.
As it stands, Alex Lyon—who entered the year in the third slot in the depth chart—has played his way into being the Red Wings' number one option in net. However, with a fresh start brought about by a return to full health, perhaps Husso can get his season back on the trajectory Detroit brass imagined when the campaign began.
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