McKenna’s Matchup of the Day: Nov. 1 – Linus Ullmark vs. Tristan Jarry

Former NHL netminder Mike McKenna provides his Daily Faceoff Starting Goalie Matchup of the Day for Tue. Nov. 1, 2022:

Why I like this matchup:

Ullmark was one of the NHL’s most consistent performers in October. And Jarry is in need of a bounce-back game.

What to watch for:

It’s hard to find any fault with Ullmark so far this year. He has a perfect 6-0-0 record supported by a .945 save percentage. And Ullmark hasn’t allowed more than three goals in a game. At 29, I think Ullmark is just now finding himself as a goaltender in the NHL. He has 165 games of experience, and it’s starting to show. Ullmark’s reads have been fantastic this year, and his mechanics are as good as they’ve ever been. According to moneypuck.com, Ullmark is currently 10th league-wide in goals saved above expected.

Jarry has a .915 save percentage in six games, but he’s allowed 10 goals in his last two starts and lost both. One area of concern is the penalty kill. Last year, Jarry had a save percentage of .903 when the Penguins were short-handed. This season it’s dipped to .833. Granted, penalty killing is very much a team effort. But a team’s goaltender can make a huge difference. Jarry has been pretty consistent otherwise. And I think his puck tracking has been solid.

What fantasy owners should do:

Even with Pittsburgh’s woes of late, I think Jarry is worth starting. I can’t see him having three straight bad games. On the flip side, Ullmark is probably due for a blowup game. But fantasy owners would be silly not to start him, especially given how strong the Bruins have been out of the gates.

Bottom line for Linus Ullmark:

I think the first period is going to be critical against Pittsburgh, a team that’s hungry for a win on home ice. Ullmark needs to be strong early.

Bottom line for Tristan Jarry:

Despite a career .911 save percentage against the Bruins, Jarry’s record is just 3-5-2. I think a win would be big for Jarry on an individual level.