McKenna’s Matchup of the Day: Mar. 4 – Jacob Markstrom vs. Filip Gustavsson

Former NHL netminder Mike McKenna provides his Daily Faceoff Starting Goalie Matchup of the Day for Sat. Mar. 4, 2023:

Why I like this matchup:

Take a gander at the NHL Western Conference standings. The Calgary Flames are five points out of a Stanley Cup spot and running out of time. While the Minnesota Wild are surging: the team sits second in the Central Division. It’s been seven games since Gustavsson lost in regulation for the Wild, while Markstrom has taken the loss in four straight Calgary contests. Each goaltender will play a critical role down the stretch.

What to watch for:

Gustavsson has not only put up an insanely good .930 save percentage, he’s stolen starts from his Minnesota goalie partner, Marc-Andre Fleury. And Gustavsson is now facing tough opposition – something that didn’t happen early in the season. He’s earned the trust of Wild head coach Dean Evason and looks primed to be a No.1 goaltender in the NHL sooner rather than later. It was always expected: Gustavsson was a second-round draft choice of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016.

Markstrom had nine shutouts in 63 games last year. This season? Zero in 41 outings. Calgary has given up far too many backdoor goals, but Markstrom has been beaten by clean shots too often. Markstrom hasn’t been far off from a technical standpoint. But I think sometimes he puts too much weight on his shoulders and can’t relax. Markstrom is at his best when he’s loose and comfortable in the crease. Calgary desperately needs wins. And the reality is that Markstrom has only managed to win more than twice in a row once this year: a three-game winning streak in late December.

What fantasy owners should do:

Markstrom has not performed in fantasy as expected. He doesn’t face many shots and wins have been hard to come by. I would consider sitting him against Minnesota. But Gustavsson? What a steal for fantasy teams. Start him.

Bottom line for Jacob Markstrom:

At this point in the season there’s no margin for error. He needs a strong first period.

Bottom line for Filip Gustavsson:

He’s playing with house money. Will Gustavsson be the Wild’s No.1 goaltender at the start of the 2022-23 Stanley Cup playoffs? The talented Swede is making a strong case for that to happen.