Goalie Start 'Em, Sit 'Em ft. Dostal, Jarry, Lindgren and More

Good day and welcome to an absolutely loaded Thursday night edition of Goalie Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em featuring 14 games, 28 goalies, and decisions, decisions, decisions. We are staring down the sprint to the finish line with many fantasy leagues playoffs matchups starting as soon as next week! If you’ve been holding an asset for the long run - it may time to revisit that thought and make the drop for the guy that can help you today - because there may not be a tomorrow for your team. With playoff urgency in mind, let’s take a look at the streaks and numbers, let’s double check with our guts, and let’s dive right in to Goalie Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em!

(Please note that the goalies listed are considered “probable” to start. Keep refreshing your Goalie Post app to see which goalies are “confirmed” starting. Don’t have the app? Get it for Apple or Android.)

START ‘EM

Lukas Dostal, Anaheim Ducks - There is no team currently colder than the disappointing Toronto Maple Leafs: losers of 8 straight and winless since the return from the Olympic break. The Pacific division leading Ducks, who have won 6 of 8 while scoring 30 goals (3.75 GF/G), will be in town to try and take another victory from the fed up fans at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday night. Dostal has played starter’s net admirably this year, leading the Ducks to 26 wins in 44 games and providing decent enough metrics (3.01 GAA and .893 SV%, but he has looked especially sharp since his return from Team Czechia at the Winter Olympics, going 5-1 of late. There has been some unevenness for the Ducks defense and Dostal over that stretch (4 or more goals allowed in 4 of those 6 wins), but that shouldn’t be a problem against a Maple Leafs offense that is struggling to find the back of the net lately and has only scored 15 goals in their past 8 games combined (league worst 1.88 GF/G over that stretch). With playoff aspirations of our own, let’s play the matchup and start Dostal in Toronto. Start ‘Em!

START ‘EM

Brandon Bussi, Carolina Hurricanes - The Hurricanes have been scorching across the lands over the past 2 weeks, gearing up for their own playoff push and dismantling teams by dominating puck possession and holding their opponents to a measly 23.3 Shots per Game. I’ve watched single periods with almost as many shots on goal allowed (looking at you Flyers)! This may not be a good volume play, so keep that in mind depending on your league settings, but a matchup on home ice against the Blues looks like a safe play in net for fantasy managers to pick up a win. Bussi has let his numbers slip recently (3 straight games allowing 4 or more goals), but still boasts an impressive resume for the season (25-4-1, 2.38 GAA, .899 SV%) and Carolina’s recently rejuvenated offense has a good chance at scoring 4 or 5 in this one, which should be enough for Bussi to get back in the win column. Start ‘Em!

SIT ‘EM

Sergei Bobrovsky, Florida Panthers - Oh how the times do change. Last year, we would have been hard pressed to find a safer bet to win a game in March than the 2 time Vezina winner Bobrovsky, but after a lost season for the Panthers, the 37 year old finds himself and his team of back to back champions on the outside of the playoff picture looking in, wondering what may come to be in the offseason. Well, Bob has played respectably since the return from break (2-2, 2.50 GAA, .914 SV%), perhaps trying to prove to management that he still has enough goods to deserve another contract and, with that, an opportunity to backstop another title run, but his numbers for the year are well below his career standards overall (23 wins, 3.08 GAA, .876 SV%). On Thursday he and the Panthers play host to a Columbus Blue Jackets club that has turned into one of the hottest teams in the league, running the table for a 16-3-1 record going back to January 11th. The Jackets have scored 4 or more goals in 4 straight contests, including a 4-2 victory in Columbus against the Panthers last Thursday. So while his opponents on Thursday are bringing that hot sauce, let’s let Bob simmer in the bench slot. Call it a better safe than sorry Sit ‘Em!

SIT ‘EM

Tristan Jarry, Edmonton Oilers - Jarry has been subpar statistically this season (3.25 GAA, .888 SV%), and while those types of numbers are good enough to get a win in Edmonton’s crease most nights, on Thursday night the Oilers visit Texas to take on the Stars, who have been sparkling of late, going 12-0-1 through their last 13 games and scoring 53 goals over that stretch (4.08 GF/G). Those Stars may be too much for the Oilers defense in this one as Edmonton has coughed up 4 or more goals a ridiculous 7 times in their last 10 contests. Jarry has gotten the hook in 2 of his last 4 starts and you’d have to go all the way back to January 20th to find his last game that he started and finished and didn’t let in at least 4 goals. With the Stars climbing the standings and the Oilers focusing on outscoring opponents rather than limiting opportunities, we should look to avoid Jarry in this matchup. Sit ‘Em!

DESPERATION MODE START

Charlie Lindgren, Washington Capitals - Call me crazy for this one, but all good streaks must come to an end and, if you are already desperate, then why not be the one to take the shot that no one else will take? Despite all the numbers backing the Sabres (going back to January 1, they are: 1st in wins (19), 1st in points (40), 1st in goals (107), and 1st in goal differential (+32)), the Sabres have actually been regularly outshot in the new year (27.2 SF/G vs 30.5 SA/G) and have been further aided by an unsustainably high 15.1 shooting percentage. My thoughts on this are: puck luck is a capricious lady and she lives her life without allegiance. So while on paper this reads like another win for the hottest team of the new year, a single puck bounce can drastically change that outcome, and for a Washington team that is desperately clinging to their playoff hopes, we can expect them to try to find any bounce they can. At only 22% rostered in Fantrax and 6% rostered in Yahoo, Lindgren (career stats of 2.85 GAA and .902 SV%) may simply get lucky and deliver the win that nobody sees coming. This is a desperation mode Start ‘Em!

That’s all for this week, thanks for reading! My name is Garrett Finlay and you can follow me on X @garrett_fi51284 and on Bluesky @garrettfinlay.bsky.social where I am often talking goalies and fantasy hockey. I’ll be back here next Thursday to breakdown another busy night of twine tending action! Happy Hockeying and good luck out there!