McKenna’s Matchup of the Day: Nov. 14 – Jacob Markstrom vs. Jonathan Quick

Former NHL netminder Mike McKenna provides his Daily Faceoff Starting Goalie Matchup of the Day for Mon. Nov. 14, 2022:

Why I like this matchup:

Quick has been lighting it up for the past several weeks, while Markstrom went through an extended rough patch. Both goaltenders won their last outing. But Markstrom has more to prove at this stage of the season.

What to watch for:

Calgary hasn’t been great defensively, and I think Markstrom shares some blame. The Flames have given up plenty of screened shots and backdoor goals. But I also think Markstrom has been off. He’s pushing forward into saves and sliding more than I’m used to seeing from Calgary’s 6-foot-6 netminder. That said, he had a strong outing against Winnipeg two nights ago, making 21 saves on 23 shots en route to snapping a five-game winless drought.

Quick has been excellent lately, winning four of his last five starts. He has a .942 save percentage since Halloween and has reestablished himself as the Kings’ No.1 goaltender. I do think Los Angeles deserves credit for improved defensive play. But Quick has been instrumental: the veteran netminder has allowed just two third-period goals in his last five appearances. Nothing has changed stylistically for Quick. He’s simply feeling the flow and making excellent reads.

What fantasy owners should do:

It’s hard to predict tonight’s game. Markstrom has been consistent but hasn’t gotten the expected wins for fantasy owners. And it’s no guarantee he’ll face a lot of shots, either. Quick makes me nervous because he’s prone to blow-up games where he allows five or gets pulled early. However, I would still start both tonight. I wouldn’t be very comfortable with either.

Bottom line for Jacob Markstrom:

He needs to relax and let the play come to him.

Bottom line for Jonathan Quick:

Beat Nazem Kadri at his own game. Quick needs to stand his ground in the blue paint without getting overly involved with the Flames’ center.