McKenna’s Matchup of the Day: Nov. 28 – Jake Oettinger vs. Jordan Binnington

Former NHL netminder Mike McKenna provides his Daily Faceoff Starting Goalie Matchup of the Day for Mon. Nov. 28, 2022:

Why I like this matchup:

The Dallas Stars sit atop the NHL’s Central Division while the St. Louis Blues are surging. Both Oettinger and Binnington have played a huge role in their respective team’s success.

What to watch for:

Come for Oettinger’s crease movements, stay for Binnington’s puck handling. The Stars netminder has great footwork. And while Binnington is no slouch in the department, I think one of his best assets is distributing the puck to his teammates. He acts as a third defenseman for the Blues. Against a team like Dallas that thrives on puck possession, Binnington’s puckhandling is a significant bonus for St. Louis.

I also like this matchup because – statistically speaking – both goaltenders have had two bad games in a row. The eye test may not agree with that assessment. But Oettinger has allowed nine goals in his last two starts, while Binnington has allowed 10. They’re both due for a bounce-back game.

What fantasy owners should do:

St. Louis has found their offensive stride of late, but this season hasn’t been the best for Blues goal scoring. So I’d play Oettinger. Binnington was on a roll for most of November, but the past two outings weren’t kind. And Dallas is filling the net. I’d consider not playing Binnington if your team has another option in goal.

Bottom line for Jake Oettinger:

St. Louis is most robust on the rush. Oettinger needs to manage his gaps well and play with some flow.

Bottom line for Jordan Binnington:

Shut down Stars forward Jason Robertson, who is on a scoring tear.