McKenna’s Matchup of the Day: Apr. 11 – Eric Comrie vs. Samuel Montembeault
Former NHL netminder Mike McKenna provides his Daily Faceoff Starting Goalie Matchup of the Day for Mon. Apr 11., 2022:
Why I like this matchup:
It’s the only game on tonight’s NHL schedule. I have to like it!
What to watch for:
To see if Eric Comrie or Samuel Montembeault – of the Winnipeg Jets and Montreal Canadiens, respectively – is ready for an expanded role in the NHL. The 2021-22 season has seen both Comrie and Montembeault get their first cracks at full-time NHL duty after spending extended time developing in the AHL.
Comrie isn’t the biggest goaltender, listed at 6-foot-1, but he makes up for it with his skating ability. He’s nimble on his edges and works hard to arrive early. The only time I think Comrie gets in trouble is when he fails to square up to the shot – he can occasionally be caught cheating off his angle as play moves closer to the goal line.
Coming into the season, Comrie was a gamble for the Jets. He had only played nine NHL games. But Comrie has responded with an 8-3-1 record and .912 save percentage this year. I think Winnipeg should have used him more often this season. His goalie partner Connor Hellebuyck leads the league with 61 games played despite declining numbers.
The Canadiens picked Montembeault off waivers from the Florida Panthers at the start of the season and he hasn’t looked back. The 25-year old goaltender from Becancour, Quebec has seen action in 33 games for Montreal and posted an .896 save percentage.
It hasn’t been an easy environment for Montembeault, as the Canadiens give up way too many high-danger chances against. But credit to Montembeault. He’s stolen several wins and battled hard for a team he never expected to be playing for this season. I think Montembeault has pretty good mechanics but at times struggles to connect the dots. When he’s focused, he can play.
Both goalies will be restricted free agents at the end of the season.
What fantasy owners should do:
It’s Monday and there’s only one game on the NHL docket. 28 teams play tomorrow. That means fantasy owners should have plenty of goaltending options this week. Either the Jets or the Canadiens are going to win this game, but at what cost for fantasy owners? This game could be a track meet. I’d leave both goalies on the bench.
Bottom line for Eric Comrie:
Bounce back from a tough outing. Comrie had a five-game winning streak going until he allowed six goals against in a losing effort to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Mar. 31.
Bottom line for Samuel Montembeault:
Work to find pucks through traffic and get in a rhythm early. Montreal has 10 games left this season. Fellow Habs goaltender Jake Allen is out of action and a date for Carey Price’s return is still uncertain. Montembeault will likely be playing often.