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Daniil Tarasov Is Outplaying John Gibson in Detroit’s Net
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- Daniil Tarasov Is Outplaying John Gibson in Detroit’s Net
Detroit Red Wings goalie Daniil Tarasov was only making his second start of the 2026-27 NHL season against the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night. Tarasov stopped 17 of the 18 shots he faced in a 2-1 win for Detroit over Philadelphia.
After the game, Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan praised Tarasov for his performance once again and said, "He's done a real good job when he's gone in there. Tonight was probably a tough game for him to play because it came and went in spurts. … We're really happy for him, and obviously it's helped us get some points."
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Daniil Tarasov Praises the Defense in Front of Him
After the game, Tarasov spoke with Max Bultman of The Athletic about the way the defense performed in front of him. Tarasov said , "Guys (are) doing (a) good job in front of me. (Making) my life way easier, blocking a lot of shots, clearing if I (give up a) rebound. Just kind of getting there and feeling like we're in the right place and the right spot."
The game sheet backs him up. Detroit blocked 24 shots against Philadelphia, seven more than the Flyers blocked, and held the Flyers to 18 shots on goal.
Daniil Tarasov Leads the NHL in Save Percentage
This season, Tarasov has a 1-0-1 record with a 0.80 GAA and a .965 save percentage and one shutout, and both of those rate numbers lead every goaltender in the league. He has played in three games and only started in two of them, and the Red Wings have taken three of a possible four points in those two starts. Detroit is 2-3-2 overall. Does Tarasov deserve another start against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday, Oct. 17?
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John Gibson Could Start Again, but Detroit Needs to Keep Him Fresh
John Gibson could be the starter for the Red Wings when they play against the Sharks on Saturday, but it is possible that Tarasov could get another start because he played well. Gibson has taken five of Detroit's seven starts this season and sits at 1-3-1 with a 3.76 GAA and a .863 save percentage. Detroit also needs to keep Gibson fresh instead of overworking him. With the Red Wings not playing a back-to-back for the rest of October, it could make sense to give Tarasov another start against San Jose because of his performances this season.
