McKenna’s Matchup of the Day: Jan. 19 – Marc-Andre Fleury vs. Frederik Andersen

Former NHL netminder Mike McKenna provides his Daily Faceoff Starting Goalie Matchup of the Day for Thu. Jan. 19, 2023:

Why I like this matchup:

I think Fleury and Andersen are both in uneasy situations. Not necessarily in a bad way – the Wild and Hurricanes are quality teams. But I would describe the goaltending situation as fluid for both franchises.

What to watch for:

Fleury allowed two or less goals in five of his last eight starts. No surprise, his success has gone hand-in-hand with the Wild team in front of him. Fleury gives his teammates life and vice-versa. Aside from one bad game against the Sabres on Jan. 7, Fleury has posted a save percentage above 90 percent dating back to Dec. 12. I think his game has looked streamlined and confident. When Fleury is feeling it, he can be dominant. And that version of ‘Flower’ has shown up often lately.

After a tough start in which Andersen didn’t play up to expectations, he missed over two months of NHL action due to injury. But the Hurricanes netminder has been strong in his return: Andersen has won twice and allowed just three goals in doing so. His technical game has looked strong, which is no surprise coming off a lengthy injury. He’s had plenty of time to work on that aspect. But how will he do against a team like Minnesota that can create havoc in front of the net? I want to see how Andersen handles traffic.

What fantasy owners should do:

Aside from the rough outing against Buffalo, Fleury has been great for fantasy owners over the past month. I’d start him. And given how strong Carolina is, and Andersen’s quality play in his first two games back from injury, I’d start him as well.

Bottom line for Marc-Andre Fleury:

It’s a battle for playing time with goalie partner Filip Gustavsson. And that’s a good thing.

Bottom line for Frederik Andersen:

Fight to find the puck: Minnesota’s net front presence can be intimidating.