When Alex Lyon made his first look within the Buffalo Sabres’ series towards the Boston Bruins within the third interval of Game 2, he wasted no time getting concerned. The Sabres have been dropping 4-0, however Lyon jumped into the crease with the competitiveness his teammates have come to anticipate.
A couple of minutes after Lyon changed Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen within the crease, the 33-year-old was speaking trash with Bruins fourth-liner Tanner Jeannot. He was caught on digicam telling Jeannot, one of Boston’s more durable gamers, to “shut the f— up.”
“I was on the ice, and I was in the corner,” Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson mentioned. “I caught the tail end of it, and I was like, ‘What is going on?’”
Lyon acknowledged that he in all probability often annoys his teammates with how typically he’s yapping on the opponents and inflicting battle, however it’s how he performs the sport. He respects the opponent however performs goalie interested by competing first.
“You don’t ever want to back down from the moment,” Lyon mentioned. “And the older I get, the more I really enjoy those moments, and that’s kind of what gets you stimulated, so I really enjoy that.”
Whatever works. After stopping all seven pictures he confronted in that aid look in Game 2, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff began Lyon in Game 3. Lyon ended up taking part in the 2 video games for the Sabres in Boston and helped them win each. He stopped 24 of 25 pictures in a 3-1 win in Game 3 after which 23 of 24 pictures in a 6-1 blowout win in Game 4. Luukkonen had earned the net for the start of the playoffs with the best way he completed the common season, however Lyon, who returned from harm simply earlier than the playoffs began, was prepared to offer the Sabres a spark.
According to MoneyPuck, Lyon is fifth within the league in objectives saved above anticipated within the playoffs. The Bruins got here into the series with a goaltending advantage. Jeremy Swayman was one of the most effective goalies within the NHL throughout the common season, and he was rock strong early on this series. But the Sabres chased him from Game 4 by beating him for six objectives. Swayman is now sixteenth out of 20 goalies in objectives saved above anticipated this postseason, in line with MoneyPuck.
Lyon has not solely narrowed the hole on no matter goalie benefit the Bruins had, however he’s added a spark to the Sabres together with his fixed chatter on and off the ice.
“It drives him, and I think it drives us a little bit to see how competitive he is,” Sabres ahead Josh Doan mentioned. (*1*)
During Game 3 in Boston, a fan filmed a video of Lyon moving into it with the Bruins followers within the entrance row. Samuelsson knew Lyon from summer season skates within the Philadelphia space. But he didn’t get to see this facet of him till Lyon grew to become his teammate this season.
“When I knew him before it was in the summer, so I didn’t really know the fire he had,” Samuelsson mentioned. “I’ve never really played with a goalie that chirps or does those things. It’s pretty cool to see the guy between the pipes is as fired up and on edge as everyone else. It’s fun to play in front of. Your goalie is a little bit of a psycho. It feeds energy into the group. The guy back there is battling and giving his all.”
Lyon’s vitality is contagious. He chooses to not communicate with the media on gamedays, however that appears to be the one time he’s not speaking. He’s a go-to man for reporters after video games and on follow days as a result of he’s at all times considerate and introspective. He’s additionally an avid listener of Mike Florio’s Pro Football Talk and Colin Cowherd, so he’s at all times recreation for a dialog that has nothing to do with hockey, each with teammates and reporters.
“Some goalies are weird, like you can’t even be around,” Samuelsson mentioned. “He’s just weird like he never turns it off … He just says whatever he’s thinking.”
Even when he was handing off the Sabres’ player-of-the-game belt after the Game 4 win, he did so together with his typical aptitude.
“Doaner!” Lyon mentioned. “Silky f—ing tip on the backside, setting the emotional tone for the boys! Great f—ing game! Wooh!”
But there is additionally one other worthwhile facet to Lyon. He is a little paranoid. Lyon lives in fixed worry of dropping his psychological edge. When the Sabres have been on their torrid run late within the season, Lyon stored speaking about how the workforce wanted to be prepared for the inevitable adversity the season would deliver. A decade in professional hockey had educated him to take care of what he describes as a wholesome worry. This is solely his third full season within the NHL, so he approaches his place within the league with a completely different perspective.
That’s why after the Sabres boat-raced the Bruins in Game 4, Lyon’s postgame feedback had a trace of that paranoia. This series is going again to Buffalo with the Sabres main 3-1, however Lyon is aware of that the fourth win to shut out the series would be the hardest one to get. He was already interested by Tuesday earlier than he had showered and left TD Garden.
But between now and the 7:30 p.m. puck drop on Tuesday, you may guess Lyon might be speaking.
“He’s a character,” Ruff mentioned.
Injury notes
Tyson Kozak and Jason Zucker left Game 4 towards the Bruins and didn’t return. Ruff mentioned there was dialogue about them returning, however Ruff didn’t assume it was price it given the rating. He instructed reporters Monday that each gamers are possible for Game 5. Ruff additionally mentioned it’s a chance that Josh Norris might be accessible to play on Tuesday. He’s missed the final two video games with an harm and didn’t follow on Saturday, however has resumed skating.
