PREVIEW: Lyon set to make season debut Friday as Red Wings face Maple Leafs in NHL Global Series finale

STOCKHOLM -- Goalie Alex Lyon will make his season debut for the Detroit Red Wings when they play their second and final game at the 2023 NHL Global Series in Sweden on Friday night, facing the Toronto Maple Leafs at Avicii Arena.

Puck drop between Detroit (8-5-3; 19 points) and Toronto (8-5-2; 18 points) is set for 2 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CET, with TV broadcast coverage on Bally Sports Detroit and the NHL Network. Longtime Grand Rapids Griffins announcer Bob Kaser will fill in for Ken Kal, and will be joined by Paul Woods and Daniella Bruce on the Red Wings Radio Network (97.1 The Ticket in Detroit).

The Red Wings aim to finish their back-to-back in Stockholm on a high note after dropping a 5-4 overtime decision to the Ottawa Senators on Thursday. Shayne Gostisbehere notched a goal and two assists while Olli Maatta and J.T. Compher both registered a pair of helpers for Detroit, which erased a four-goal deficit in the second period and nearly pulled off an impressive comeback.

“Being down four goals in this league and being able to come back is not easy at all," said Lucas Raymond, the native of Gothenburg, Sweden, who scored the Red Wings’ first goal on Thursday. "I think that shows a lot about our group as well, so that's for sure a big part we're going to take away.”

With Ville Husso unavailable for the Global Series following the birth of his daughter and James Reimer starting Thursday’s game, Detroit head coach Derek Lalonde confirmed postgame that Lyon will be handed the starting reigns on Friday.

“I want as much NHL time as I can get,” Lyon said Wednesday. “I want to continue to prove myself at this level. Those are the things that motivate me.”

Lyon, who signed a two-year contract with Detroit this offseason, said he approaches every day with the same mindset. Last season, the 30-year-old netminder appeared in 15 regular-season games with the Florida Panthers in addition to 23 games for the American Hockey League’s Charlotte Checkers.

“A lot of practice days have been game days so far,” Lyon said. “It’s really all you can do. Like I said, you can control what you can control and work as hard as you can. Even though it’s the most cliché thing in the world, it’s actually true.”

Toronto has won three of its past four games, most recently defeating the Vancouver Canucks, 5-2, on Saturday.

Riding a season-opening 15-game point streak, William Nylander leads the Maple Leafs in scoring with 22 points on 10 goals and 12 assists. Right behind him, Auston Matthews has 19 points and a team-high 13 goals. Goalies Ilya Samsonov and Joseph Woll have split time between the pipes for Toronto, combining for a 3.35 goals-against average and .889 save percentage.