McKenna’s Matchup of the Day: Apr. 6 – Thatcher Demko vs. Robin Lehner

Former NHL netminder Mike McKenna provides his Daily Faceoff Starting Goalie Matchup of the Day for Wed. Apr 6., 2022:

Why I like this matchup:

The Vancouver Canucks are at the breaking point: they need to win almost every game to have a chance at making the Stanley Cup playoffs. And the Vegas Golden Knights are in a similar predicament – they’re currently one point short of the Dallas Stars, who hold the final wildcard spot in the Western Conference. Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko and Golden Knights netminder Robin Lehner have little room for error. The pressure is on.

What to watch for:

Which team – and goaltender – gets off to a better start. Just three nights ago these teams faced one another, and the Golden Knights were far superior in the opening frame. They outshot the Canucks and got out to an early lead. Lehner wasn’t overly busy but he did make a few key saves late in the first period.

On Sunday night, Demko was beaten clean high to the glove side twice – a rarity for the California-raised goaltender. His mechanics are excellent. Demko skates well and usually stays within his posts. Tidy is probably the best word to use when describing his game. Demko owns a 1-1-3 record in his last five starts.

Lehner missed nearly a month due to injury and didn’t miss a beat in his return: the Swedish goaltender stopped 26 of 28 shots. Lehner is usually reserved in his movements, but he is willing to take extra depth and challenge the shooter when he feels confident that there are no pass options. Lehner has a .909 save percentage this season in 39 games played.

What fantasy owners should do:

This is a hard game to predict. Neither goalie faces many shots, and both teams will be desperate. Last game was somewhat low-event: if that’s any indication of tonight’s match, it should be low-scoring. I would start both goaltenders – with one eye closed.

Bottom line for Thatcher Demko:

Have a strong first period and avoid getting beaten clean.

Bottom line for Robin Lehner:

Stay simple and let the play come to him. When he’s in control and square to the puck, Lehner is hard to beat.