October 30 Fantasy Hockey Goalie Matchup Rankings: Daniil Tarasov, Adin Hill, Kevin Lankinen and More

Goalies run hot and cold the same way any player does in any sport. It might seem like they should always be near their best, as they are simply sitting near the net and stopping the puck rather than repeating a motion such as throwing a baseball.

Each player’s mental focus plays a big part, though, and being off just a little during a long season can put a goalie at a disadvantage if his glove is one-tenth of a second late. Without intimate knowledge of how guys are doing, the best we can do in fantasy hockey is play matchups.

Let’s look at Wednesday’s goalie matchups in terms of shots per game and goals per game rankings. A team with a positive differential takes more shots and scores less goals, theoretically giving more save chances without as much worry about giving up goals. This is strictly looking at the opponent and doesn’t consider the abilities of the goalkeepers.

I listed both goalies who have appeared for each team this season. Always check starters before game time to be sure you have the right guy in your lineup. All stats are from NHL.com.

1. Daniil Tarasov and Elvis Merzlikins, Columbus Blue Jackets

Opponent: New York Islanders (+25)

• Shots Per Game: 33.0 (4th)
• Goals Per Game: 2.33 (29th)

T-2. Adin Hill and Ilya Samsonov, Vegas Golden Knights

Opponent: Los Angeles Kings (+4)

• Shots Per Game: 30.3 (13th)
• Goals Per Game: 3.11 (T-17th)

T-2. Kevin Lankinen and Arturs Silovs, Vancouver Canucks

Opponent: New Jersey Devils (+4)

• Shots Per Game: 32.1 (T-5th)
• Goals Per Game: 3.67 (9th)

4. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Jonas Johansson, Tampa Bay Lightning

Opponent: Colorado Avalanche (-2)

• Shots Per Game: 30.4 (12th)
• Goals Per Game: 3.60 (10th)

5. Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen, New Jersey Devils

Opponent: Vancouver Canucks (-4)

• Shots Per Game: 29.1 (17th)
• Goals Per Game: 3.38 (T-13th)

T-6. Dan Vladar and Dustin Wolf, Calgary Flames

Opponent: Utah Hockey Club (-7)

• Shots Per Game: 26.7 (T-28th)
• Goals Per Game: 2.90 (T-21st)

T-6. Alex Lyon and Cam Talbot, Detroit Red Wings

Opponent: Winnipeg Jets (-7)

• Shots Per Game: 31.2 (9th)
• Goals Per Game: 4.44 (2nd)

8. Connor Hellebuyck and Eric Comrie, Winnipeg Jets

Opponent: Detroit Red Wings (-8)

• Shots Per Game: 24.8 (32nd)
• Goals Per Game: 2.78 (24th)

9. Ilya Sorokin and Semyon Varlamov, New York Islanders

Opponent: Columbus Blue Jackets (-12)

• Shots Per Game: 29.3 (16th)
• Goals Per Game: 4.13 (4th)

10. Connor Ingram and Karel Vejmelka, Utah Hockey Club

Opponent: Calgary Flames (-13)

• Shots Per Game: 26.4 (30th)
• Goals Per Game: 3.11 (T-17th)

11. David Rittich and Darcy Kuemper, Los Angeles Kings

Opponent: Vegas Golden Knights (-14)

• Shots Per Game: 29.6 (15th)
• Goals Per Game: 4.70 (1st)

12. Justus Annunen and Alexandar Georgiev, Colorado Avalanche

Opponent: Tampa Bay Lightning (-17)

• Shots Per Game: 27.7 (24th)
• Goals Per Game: 3.78 (T-7th)