McKenna Match of the Day: March 25 – Sergei Bobrovsky vs. Mads Sogaard

Former NHL goaltender Mike McKenna gives his Daily face-to-face Start of the goalkeeper match of the day for Monday. March 27, 2023:

Why I love this game:

Bobrovsky and the Panthers are desperate to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs. And Sogaard posted back-to-back impressive performances against the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning

To monitor :

Can Bobrovsky lead Florida to the playoffs? He’s 6-3-1 in his last 10 games, but the Panthers goaltender has allowed nine goals in his last two starts and lost both. Florida is three points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins in the race for Eastern Conference wild cards, with nine games remaining for each team. Bobrovsky has had several very effective streaks this season, but his game is a microcosm of the team in front of him. The Panthers struggled defensively at times. And I think Bobrovsky’s active style can get him in trouble behind a porous defense. When Bob is at his best, pucks don’t go through him.

I was impressed with how Sogaard was able to bounce back from a very tough time in March. The Senators rookie goaltender has allowed at least four goals in five straight games. But in his last two games, Sogaard allowed only two goals. No mean feat against the Bruins and Lightning. Sogaard’s NHL career got off to a rocky start, but his .890 save percentage in 14 games shouldn’t be considered a predictor of things to come. I think he’s at least a year away from his full-time job in Ottawa. But Sogaard is learning on the job and gaining valuable experience.

What fantasy owners should do:

Bob is due for a rebound game, and even though the Senators have plenty of firepower, but gut says he’s putting in a solid performance for fantasy owners. I don’t have the same rosy feeling about Sogaard, but there are only six games on the NHL roster tonight. Senators goaltenders typically face 30+ shots, so if the save column is important to your team, consider Sogaard.

Conclusion for Sergei Bobrovsky:

With the Panthers on the verge of missing the playoffs, there’s not much room for error.

Conclusion for Mads Sogaard:

At this point in his young NHL career, improvement is what matters most. Victories are secondary.