McKenna’s Matchup of the Day: Feb. 8 – Filip Gustavsson vs. Jake Oettinger

Former NHL netminder Mike McKenna provides his Daily Faceoff Starting Goalie Matchup of the Day for Wed. Feb. 8, 2023:

Why I like this matchup:

Two goalies with a save percentage over .920 – who wouldn’t want to watch this game?

What to watch for:

I think the NHL All-Star break was much needed for Oettinger, who along with his Dallas Stars teammates had lost three straight in overtime before the pause. And it wasn’t just the losing streak: Oettinger played ten games in January. The Stars were running him hot knowing the break was coming.

Oettinger looked good Monday, when Dallas defeated the Anaheim Ducks in a shootout. I think Oetttinger’s modern approach to goaltending has provided him a steadiness in the Stars crease. He skates well and is constantly adjusting to stay on the proper angle. At times rotating efficiently can be burdensome. But Oettinger’s results have been strong. He’s 22-7-7 during the 2022-23 NHL season.

Considering Gustavsson hasn’t played since Jan. 21, I’m curious to see how he performs. The Minnesota netminder allowed four goals in his last outing against the Florida Panthers. That was over two weeks ago.

Gustavsson has been rock solid for the Wild, with an 11-7-1 record and 2.26 goals against average. He’s methodical in net. Rarely flashy. Gustavsson approaches the game in a way similar to Oettinger. Be in position first. Make the save second.

What fantasy owners should do:

Gustavsson has been an incredible fantasy pickup. And Oettinger has been a workhorse. Start them both.

Bottom line for Filip Gustavsson:

Keep the Stars’ top line of Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz, and Joe Pavelski off the scoresheet.

Bottom line for Jake Oettinger:

Play within the posts. Minnesota can zip the puck around laterally.