Girls track and field Upper State champions, other qualifiers for state
Upper State girls track and field champions and state qualifiers revealed
Buffalo Sabres goalie Alex Lyon's competitive spirit has propelled the team into the second round of the playoffs, showcasing his impressive performance and leadership. Lyon has a 1.3 goals-against average and .950 save percentage this postseason.

Entering Game 2 on Friday night, Lyon’s 1.3 goals-against average and .950 save percentage rank second among players with five or more starts this postseason. And it follows Lyon's first Sabres season in which he went 20-10-4 splitting the starting duties and helping the Buffalo end and win its first Atlantic Division title. Very little appears to rattle Lyon. Or rather, the goalie said, he does his best to hide it. “It’s all about perception,” Lyon said. “It probably dawned on me five or six years ago, that if you just continue to keep pushing through the bad times, it will always turn around for the better.” The philosophy has carried him through a nine-year pro career spanning five NHL teams. Lyon is relentless in refusing to give up on plays even when out of position, and included him doing a near-somersault to get from one post to the other and get a piece of ’s shot in the first round. Add in his engaging and upbeat personality, and Lyon has endeared himself to his team. “I really love guys like that, hates to lose and wants their opponents to look bad. I really feed off that,” captain said. “He loves big moments. That’s when he thrives.” Coach Lindy Ruff called Lyon’s approach “infectious.” “Every goalie has their own personality, and his personality has a lot of fire in it. He’s a character and it’s something the group likes,” Ruff said. “I don’t even know if I’ve seen him have a bad day.” Lyon admits to having plenty of bad days. But they come with territory, much like accepting he’s not going to stop every shot. From Baudette, Minnesota, Lyon was an undrafted free-agent out of Yale upon signing with the . He went 6-7-2 in five years in Philadelphia, and split the next four seasons between Carolina, and , where he went 35-27-6 over two seasons. He went 1-2 in four playoff appearances with Florida’s Stanley Cup Final-losing team in 2023, though Lyon was only filling in for injured starter .
Alex Lyon has a 1.3 goals-against average and a .950 save percentage in the playoffs.
Lyon became the starting goalie after Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen struggled in Game 2 against the Boston Bruins.
Lyon's fiery demeanor and strong performances have been crucial in leading the Sabres to the second round of the playoffs.
Lyon has played for the Philadelphia Flyers, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Detroit Red Wings, and now the Buffalo Sabres.
Upper State girls track and field champions and state qualifiers revealed
Roy defeats Kearns 12-6 in a thrilling Game 1 of the 5A Regionals!
In a thrilling game, Rockies beat Phillies 9-7 after extra innings!
In a slugfest, the White Sox lose to the Mariners 12-8 despite a late rally.
Uintah defeats Snow Canyon 16-1, advances in 4A Super Regionals!
Highlights from the 2026 Delaware County Track and Field Championship at Delta High School.
See every story in Sports — including breaking news and analysis.
San Jose Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky saw many of the same qualities when coaching Lyon with the American Hockey League's Chicago Wolves in 2021-22. The 29-year-old went 9-3 in leading the Wolves to win the Calder Cup championship. “Did not want to give up the net,” Warsofsky told The Associated Press by phone Friday. “It’s not, obviously, an easy league to play in, but every day he was the same guy," he added. “It just shows you that everyone develops a little bit differently on different timelines, and sometimes you need an opportunity and he’s gotten a really good opportunity.” Lyon fondly reflects upon his past by saying playing for numerous teams at various levels helped him learn more about himself. And breaking into the NHL as an older player after years in the minors were lessons in maintaining confidence, adapting to riding the highs and lows, and learning to put team success first. “It’s really difficult as a young player to not get caught up in the day to day and thinking about production,” Lyon said. “The less you think about that, the less you worry about that, the better things are.” \\\_ AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno contributed to this report. \\\_ AP NHL: and