McKenna’s Matchup of the Day: Feb. 26 – Ilya Samsonov vs. Carter Hart

Former NHL netminder Mike McKenna provides his Daily Faceoff Starting Goalie Matchup of the Day for Saturday Feb. 26, 2022:

Why I like this matchup:

Two goaltenders under the age of 25 with long NHL careers ahead of them.

What to look for:

Ilya Samsonov has been given every chance to take hold of the crease in Washington. But he has yet to find the consistency necessary for Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette to fully trust him. Samsonov is 3-2-0 in his last five starts and coming off a loss against the Rangers in which he allowed four goals against on 21 shots.

I believe Samsonov has the tools to be a top-tier netminder in the NHL. But he needs to find a level of precision to his game. He has a tendency to slide out of position – especially on close plays in tight.

The Flyers have had a brutal season. But Hart continues to outplay the team in front of him. His .910 Sv% is respectable considering Philadelphia’s porous defense. 

Hart is one of the better technical goaltenders in the NHL – but sometimes overly so. I think Hart is at his best when he’s reading the play and using his instincts in conjunction with his training.

What fantasy owners should do:

Leave Hart on the bench and start Samsonov. Philly has struggled to score goals this season and lost 5-3 against the Capitals just over a week ago on Feb. 17. Washington is jockeying for playoff seeding and need to bounce back after dropping their last outing to the Rangers in a disappointing fashion.

Bottom line for Samsonov:

Be crisp and stay focused.

Bottom line for Hart:

Keep grinding no matter what the score is.