The Detroit Red Wings [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings] won their fourth straight game on Friday in large part due to the play of backstop John Gibson, who made 31 saves in a thrilling 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in overtime. The win was a memorable one as rookie defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka scored his first NHL goal earlier in the game. It was an all-around solid team performance out of the Red Wings [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings] with many wondering who would start next for their Sunday matinee versus the back-to-back Western Conference Champion Edmonton Oilers. Veteran goaltender Cam Talbot would be the obvious answer as the 37-year-old has yet to produce a bad performance with three straight wins, including a 38-save effort against the Toronto Maple Leafs this past Monday. Now the decision falls onto Detroit [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings]bench boss Todd McLellan as Gibson has now re-entered the picture thanks to his stunning effort on Friday with a coach never wanting to bench the hottest hand. It would also make sense to give Gibson another start on Sunday, allowing both goaltenders to have three games under their belts before deciding who gets the nod for Detroit [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings]’s upcoming road matchup against the Buffalo Sabres next Wednesday. Gibson was brought in by Red Wings [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings] GM Steve Yzerman with the expectation of becoming the team’s top goaltender. The Pittsburgh native had been splitting time in Anaheim with young netminder Lukas Dostal and was looking for a larger role with Detroit [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings]hoping to oblige. Talbot's play as of late has thrown a snag into those plans as McLellan wants to play the hottest hand and give his team the best chance to succeed but you also don't want to upset the player that the team just finished trading for and made a commitment to. "Team Effort": Red Wings' John Gibson Credits Teammates After Stellar Performance [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/0949bf80-4483-4f37-838a-86e57635206d.jpeg] "Team Effort": Red Wings' John Gibson Credits Teammates After Stellar Performance Red Wings goaltender John Gibson rebounded from a subpar first game of the season, making 31 saves and helping Detroit pick up their fourth win of the young season, a 2-1 overtime triumph over the Tampa Bay Lightning. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings/players/team-effort-red-wings-john-gibson-credits-teammates-after-stellar-performance] Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings/] team site to stay connected to the latest news [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings/latest-news], game-day [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings/game-day]coverage, and player features [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings/players]. The most likely outcome in the situation is we see a regression from Talbot. The journeyman has put together similar hot stretches in the past, only to cool off with a string of average or subpar performances that brought his numbers back down to earth. Still, Talbot has proven capable of strong play over a full season before, most notably during his 2016–17 campaign with the Oilers, when he posted a 42-22-8 record and a 2.39 goals-against average across 73 starts. However, the wheels usually fall off at some point as Talbot routinely finishes with a goals against average closer to three when receiving more starts but when serving as a backup, he can produce very solid numbers. As he's gotten older, the numbers have slowed down. There's no doubt we are seeing vintage Talbot as of late but the Caledonia native has finished with a goals against average of 2.93 twice in the last three seasons and Gibson should be able to produce better numbers. Gibson has played for some bad Ducks teams in recent years with the defense in front of him not helping. While Talbot was bouncing around to several teams around the league, they were all better than Gibson's basement team in the NHL. The Ducks since last making the playoffs in 2018 have the fourth-worst defense in the league yet Gibson still produced numbers like a 2.98 goals against average and a .903 save percentage during the 2020-21 season when the Ducks' poor play led to him finishing with a brutal 9-19-7 record. On a stronger team, fans have long wondered just how good the 2015–16 Jennings Trophy winner could be, given that he was a three-time All-Star back when the Ducks were regular playoff contenders. If the Red Wings [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings] can carry their season-opening momentum into a legitimate playoff push, Gibson will likely emerge as the steadier, more dependable option in net. McLellan might begin the season with a 1A/1B goalie rotation, giving Talbot the chance to ride out his hot streak. But don’t be surprised if that momentum fades and Gibson ends up taking on a heavier workload. Either way, this is a good problem for the Red Wings [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings]. Recent Stanley Cup contenders have leaned on having two dependable goaltenders rather than just one standout, and early signs suggest Detroit [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings]could have one of the top tandems in the NHL. Rookie Defenseman Shocks NHL as Early Calder Trophy Front-Runner [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/56f45361-45ee-4954-aca8-f6a4f984d4ba.jpeg] Rookie Defenseman Shocks NHL as Early Calder Trophy Front-Runner An 18-year-old defenseman is shattering expectations, logging elite minutes and dominating the early Calder Trophy race against a loaded rookie class. 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