McKenna’s Matchup of the Day: Jan. 2 – Logan Thompson vs. Alexandar Georgiev

Former NHL netminder Mike McKenna provides his Daily Faceoff Starting Goalie Matchup of the Day for Mon. Jan. 2, 2022:

Why I like this matchup:

Thompson and Georgiev have both been challenged recently by their head coaches to find another gear.

What to watch for:

It seems crazy to think any NHL goaltender with a .915 save percentage is somehow underperforming. But in Georgiev’s case, he’s allowed 14 goals in his past three outings. The Avalanche netminder has strong instincts but at times he can lose structure. And over the past few games, I’ve seen him falling back into an old habit of retreating into his crease with traffic. When Georgiev is confident and tracking the puck well, he can be almost unbeatable. But finding that consistency has always been his biggest challenge.

Leading up to the NHL’s holiday break, I thought Thompson was pressing. He was sliding too often and his feet weren’t getting set on shots. With Vegas ravaged by injury, Thompson has faced a much more difficult workload than he did early in the season. He’s allowed three or more goals in eight of his last 10 starts for the Golden Knights. But I do think the numbers haven’t always given an accurate portrayal of his performance. Some of his best games this year have occurred when his save percentage was under 90 percent. When Thompson is patient and set, he’s very difficult to beat cleanly.

What fantasy owners should do:

Given the high-octane nature of recent games for both teams, I think tonight’s matchup could be high scoring. Tonight’s game is about getting a win for fantasy owners more than any other category. I would start both.

Bottom line for Logan Thompson:

Get set early. And be ready for the speed and shiftiness of Colorado center Nathan MacKinnon.

Bottom line for Alexandar Georgiev:

He’s lost three games in a row – Georgiev’s second big slide of the season. He’ll need to shut down the Golden Knights’ power play to earn the win.