McKenna’s Matchup of the Day: Feb. 24 – Jake Allen vs. Carter Hart

Former NHL netminder Mike McKenna provides his Daily Faceoff Starting Goalie Matchup of the Day for Fri. Feb. 24, 2023:

Why I like this matchup:

Allen is 2-1-0 since the all-star break for the Canadiens, despite dropping his last outing on Feb. 18 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. While Allen is trending up, Hart is headed in the opposite direction. The Flyers’ netminder is just 1-4-1 since the break.

What to watch for:

Both goalies play for teams in the bottom third of the NHL standings – never an easy task for the goaltenders. But Hart especially has been brilliant at times this season. And Allen continues to be a steady presence in goal for Montreal.

What I find concerning for Hart is that he isn’t facing as many shots recently, yet goals are still funneling in. His technique is strong and I think he’s reading the puck really well this season. But low-shot games seem to be a struggle for the 24-year-old netminder. His best outings occur when he faces a high volume of shots.

Allen continues to battle for the Canadiens, and he’s taken the lion share of games against tough opponents. But it’s hard to predict what Montreal will look like on any given night. Allen posted his first shutout of the season 10 days ago against the Chicago Blackhawks, but he only had to make 22 saves. He allowed five goals to the Toronto Maple Leafs four nights later. He currently owns an .894 save percentage but has never finished an NHL season below .900.

What fantasy owners should do:

Sit this one out. I wouldn’t feel comfortable starting either goalie on my fantasy team.

Bottom line for Jake Allen:

Don’t give Philly any momentum on home ice. A strong start is key.

Bottom line for Carter Hart:

Stay focused no matter the workload.