McKenna’s Matchup of the Day: Jan. 4 – Andrei Vasilevskiy vs. Filip Gustavsson
In the past month, Vasilevskiy and Gustavsson have been two of the NHL’s hottest netminders.Controlled mechanics from Gustavsson. And explosiveness from Vasilevskiy. Even though both goalkeepers play a modern game, some nuances differentiate them.
For me, Vasilevskiy is the master of controlled aggression. He can accelerate as well as anyone, but he does so in a manner that brings his entire body. Vasilevskiy can play long – using his legs to reach for pucks others can’t. But he’s rarely caught out of position because he’s so good at using his edges to stop lateral momentum. The Lightning goaltender is 8-2-0 with a .946 save percentage in his last ten games. Gustavsson relies much more on positioning and rock solid mechanics to make saves. But the Swedish netminder has better hands than one might think at first glance. Gustavsson’s precise skating routes and predictability in the crease are major reasons for his breakthrough season in Minnesota. He’s gone 5-1-0 since Dec. 1 and has pushed goalie partner Marc-Andre Fleury to also be his best. It may have taken Gustavsson longer than expected to be a difference-maker at the NHL level, but I think his analytical approach to the position has him set up for long-term success.Start both goalies. Vasilevskiy is a lock. But I do have some concerns with Gustavsson going up against Tampa Bay. The Wild netminder has faced mostly weaker teams this season.It’s a one-on-one showdown with Kirill Kaprizov. Keep the Wild forward off the scoreboard.While Marc-Andre Fleury is almost assured to start the Stanley Cup playoffs in the crease for Minnesota, Gustavsson has positioned himself for a nice contract extension during the offseason. He just needs to keep it up.
Please follow us on Google to support us Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Daily NHL Betting Guide - 01/03/23 - Daily FaceoffWelcome to our Betting Guide brought to you by NHL Betting site Betway! Getting a little skin in the game can make watching NHL hockey even more exciting. During the 2022-23 season, Daily Faceoff will help you become an improved bettor thanks to this betting model and our betting tools. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below NHL MODEL […]
Read more »
NHL PUCK DROPS: Potential NHL trade candidates | SaltWireThe NHL trade deadline is 4 p.m., AT, on March 3. As that date approaches, playoff contenders will attempt to bolster their roster depth while those ...
Read more »
PointsBet Daily Bets: Oilers/Kraken & Lightning/Blackhawks Puckline - Daily FaceoffYaremchuk provides you with all your betting and odds needs for tonight’s NHL slate
Read more »
Daily Fantasy Hockey Notebook – (01/03/2023) - Daily FaceoffThe Daily Fantasy Hockey Notebook will be released everyday Monday-to-Friday as soon as the morning skates finish. The Notebook includes everything you need to know to set your Season-Long and Daily Fantasy Lineups: including Injuries, Projected Lines and Pairings, Starting Goalie Rankings, and Value Picks (DFS). DFO DFS REPORT Goes LIVE on YouTube at 5300 […]
Read more »
Fantasy Hockey: Daily Goalie Rankings - 01/03/23 - Daily FaceoffWelcome to our Goalie Rankings brought to you by NHL Lines site Betway! Trying to decide which goalies to start is a dilemma that Fantasy Hockey owners face daily. We here at DailyFaceoff try to make being a Fantasy Owner as easy as possible. Each day, we will rank the day’s starting goalies based on their Projected […]
Read more »
The new Daily Faceoff is coming and we'll need your feedback - Daily FaceoffWe're upgrading your experience with our fastest, most user-friendly site yet. And we want to know what you think!
Read more »