UPDATE! January 14th – Fantasy Hockey Goalie Rankings
There are 11 games on tap tonight with a number of high quality hockey games. After last year’s playoff collapse every Bruins vs. Maple Leafs game is going to have a ton of meaning this season, especially with the way things have been going in Toronto lately. There should be a great goalie battle in the Big Apple tonight, Ben Bishop returns from a sprained wrist to take on Henrik Lundqvist and the Rangers. Finally the Avalanche and Blackhawks meet for the third time this year – in the first two meetings we have seen a ton of goals. First the Avs won 5-1, but followed that up with a 7-2 loss a month later. Here are tonight’s starting goalie rankings to help you finalize your lineup and answer all your goaltending questions!
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1. Tuukka Rask(vs. TOR) -In his last three regular season starts against Toronto, Rask is 3-0-0 with a 0.90 GAA, .963 SV% and one shutout.
2. Henrik Lundqvist(vs. TB) – Lundqvist has won three straight while posting a 1.67 GAA and .950 SV%.
3. Carey Price (vs. NJ) – Price has allowed just two goals in back-to-back wins and the Devils don’t pose much of a threat offensively.
4. Jaroslav Halak (vs. PHX) – Halak is coming off of an impressive shutout and faces a slumping Coyotes team who could be without their second leading scorer.
5. Corey Crawford (vs. COL) – Crawford sits at 0-1-3 with a 2.44 GAA and .932 SV% as he continues to search for his first win since returning from a leg injury.
6. Antti Niemi (@ WSH) – Niemi has stopped 45 of 47 (.957 SV%) shots in his last two starts and faces a Caps team who have seen their offence cool of recently.
7. Ben Bishop (@ NYR) – Bishop could be a little rusty in his return to the cage and that could prove costly, he will need to be in top form against ‘King Henrik’.
8. Steve Mason (@ BUF) – Mason is coming off of his worst performance of the year, but what a bounce-back matchup he is presented with. He faces the lowly Sabres and their back-up tendy.
9. Semyon Varlamov (@ CHI) – Varlamov is 1-0-0 with a 0.75 GAA and .980 SV% in four periods vs. Chicago this season.
10. Kari Lehtonen (vs. EDM) -Despite losing both games, Lehtonen has played very well in his last two starts (2.00 GAA / .944 SV%) and gets to take on an Edmonton team who have lost six of eight. (Likely)
11. Jonathan Bernier (@ BOS) – Bernier is 2-3-0 with a 3.38 GAA and .907 SV% in 2014 and that includes a stellar outing in the Winter Classic.
12. Darcy Kuemper (vs. OTT) – In two starts since being recalled, Kuemper has allowed one goal on 62 shots (0.48 GAA / .984 SV%)
13. Martin Brodeur (@ MTL) – Brodeur is 0-1-1 with a 3.97 GAA and .846 SV% in his first two starts of the New Year.
14. Philipp Grubauer(vs. SJ) – The Capitals plan to use all three goalies this week, but Gru can throw a wrench into those plans with a good outing vs. the Sharks tonight.
15. Kevin Poulin (@ FLA) – Poulin has won five consecutive games while posting a 2.50 GAA and .914 SV%. Tonight he faces the Panthers who currently rank 28th in the NHL with 2.20 goals per game and also have the worst power-play at 10.1%.
16. Tim Thomas (vs. NYI) – In his last five starts Thomas is 2-1-2 with a 1.88 GAA and .940 SV%, but runs into a hot Isles squad.
17. Robin Lehner (@ MIN) – Lehner has given up 10 goals on 75 shots (.866 SV%) in his last two starts (Dec. 18/27) and will see a Minny team who have won five of six despite missing Zach Parise, Mikko Koivu, Jared Spurgeon and Josh Harding.
18. Ilya Bryzgalov (@ DAL) – Bryz has only one win in his last five starts while he has given up 19 goals and posted a .892 SV%.
19. Mike Smith (@ STL) – Smith has lost seven consecutive starts and has just one win in his last 10 starts while posting a 2.87 GAA and .903 SV%. Tonight he faces one of the NHL’s best teams, so I would advise leaving him on your bench.
20A. Karri Ramo (@ NSH) – Both Calgary and Nashville rank in the bottom five in the NHL in scoring, so this could be a 1-0 game. With all the other games tonight there are safer options, but if you need a spot start, this game could provide a good one… Just flip a coin.
20B. Carter Hutton (vs. CGY) – See Ramo, Karri.
22. Jhonas Enroth (vs. PHI) – Enroth has just one win this season and will meet a Flyers team who should be motivated after two bad losses over the weekend. Plus the Sabres are wearing their third jerseys and they are the worst.