McKenna’s Matchup of the Day: Apr. 3 – Juuse Saros vs. Scott Wedgewood

Former NHL netminder Mike McKenna provides his Daily Faceoff Starting Goalie Matchup of the Day for Mon. Apr. 3, 2023:

Why I like this matchup:

Saros has almost single-handedly kept the Nashville Predators in contention for a berth in the Stanley Cup playoffs. And Wedgewood returns to action for the Dallas Stars after missing over a month due to injury.

What to watch for:

Can the Predators stay in the hunt? They’ll have to find ways to score against a difficult Stars team that is also in the thick of battle for first place in the Central division. Saros has been phenomenal this season, but he’s also been busy. His 2.72 goals against average is relatively high in comparison to his .918 save percentage: a sign that the Predators goaltender has seen lots of rubber.

I think Saros is one of the best goalie skaters in the world, and his body control is also top notch. He can play wide without losing balance and doesn’t have to reach for pucks very often because he’s able to get his entire body behind the shot. Nashville needs wins, but it’s been hard for the team – and Saros – to win more than two games in a row this year. For the Predators to make the Stanley Cup playoffs, that needs to change. And it starts tonight.

First off about Wedgewood: has the best gear setup in the NHL. You can argue with me all you want, but his black, green, and white setup is literal perfection. Second, the Stars goalie has played some quality minutes this season in a No.2 role behind Dallas starter Jake Oettinger. In 10 of Wedgewood’s 16 starts, he’s allowed two for fewer goals. But unfortunately, the Stars haven’t given him enough goal support. Wedgewood has a 7-8-3 record despite a respectable .913 save percentage.

Keep an eye on how Wedgewood moves tonight. His last NHL game was on Feb. 18. Dallas was smart: after recovering from injury, they sent him to their AHL-affiliate Texas Stars. Wedgewood appeared in one game for Texas on his conditioning assignment, stopping 24 of 26 shots in a 2-1 overtime loss against San Jose on Mar. 31.

What fantasy owners should do:

Saros is a lock for fantasy owners. And I feel good about Wedgewood going up against the Preds. I would start them both with the expectation of a close game.

Bottom line for Juuse Saros:

He has to win to keep Nashville alive.

Bottom line for Scott Wedgewood:

Tonight’s game is about getting up to NHL speed and finding his rhythm.