This article is part of our The Daily Puck series.
It'd been about 16 months since Richard Bachman last started an NHL game. Prior to that game, you'd have to track back to April 7, 2015 to find him in an NHL net. The 29-year-old got the nod Sunday against Anaheim with Vancouver on the back-end of a back-to-back and Jacob Markstrom injured. It wasn't anticipated to be a significant event unless you're a Ducks forward looking to pad some stats.
The Ducks certainly tried to test Bachman and force errors. They put 44 shots on the Vancouver net, but Bachman was up to the challenge. He finished the game with a .977 save percentage after stopping 43 of those 44 shots.
If you started him on your roster, congrats on taking the high-risk play on a goaltender you could get on the cheap. It paid off big time.
Featured Matchups
Stars (PP: 17, PK: 30) at Capitals (PP: 7, PK: 6), 7:30 p.m.
Expected Goalies:Kari Lehtonen (15-19-6, 2.89, .903), Braden Holtby (34-8-5, 1.89, .931)
Key Injuries:Adam Cracknell (leg), Mattias Janmark (knee), Antoine Roussel (hand), Andre Burakovsky (hand)
These teams aren't on equal footing by any stretch, but that doesn't mean there's not a lot of value to be mined for your roster here. The Stars defense is porous and their goaltending could charitably be called average, even though their two-headed monster has been decent at even strength in terms of save percentage. They've been abysmal on the penalty kill.
Even considering their solid even-strength save percentage, the Stars are facing the team that has put up the most even-strength goals in the NHL this season. Entering the game with a .903 save percentage overall, Lehtonen doesn't inspire confidence. The Caps are healthy, have Kevin Shattenkirk on the blue line, and have a boatload of dangerous forwards, including Ovechkin.
Meanwhile, the Dallas offense hasn't been the powerhouse that they were last year. However, that hasn't stopped their top players from going on a late-season tear. Tyler Seguin has multi-point games in six of his last nine contests. Jamie Benn is on a six-game point streak with points in 10 of his last 11. And Jason Spezza is on a three-game point streak with points in four of his last five.
The Stars' top players are finding a way, even if there isn't enough depth in Dallas to put up a fight in the standings.
Rangers (PP: 18, PK: 15) at Lightning (PP: 3, PK: 22), 7:30 p.m.
Expected Goalies:Henrik Lundqvist (29-17-2, 2.66, .912), Andrei Vasilevskiy (14-13-5, 2.69, .913)
Key Injuries:Jesper Fast (shoulder), Dan Girardi (ankle), Michael Grabner (hip), Kevin Klein (back), Ryan Callahan (hip), Steven Stamkos (knee)
Both teams are missing key players, but the Lightning are coming on strong and making a push for the postseason. They're 6-2-1 over the last nine games while averaging more than three goals per game over that stretch. They're getting depth scoring and, like Dallas, their big guns are playing like their big guns.
Nikita Kucherov is on a six-game run over which he has an astounding eight goals and seven assists. Oh, and he's averaged more than five shots per game over the last seven. He's entered beast mode and may carry Tampa into the postseason on his own.
Meanwhile, the Rangers have been a tough opponent all season, but have struggled lately, scoring two or fewer goals in eight of their last nine games. They have a 4-4-1 record over that stretch.
But they've been a team where you can find contributions in their depth. Defensemen are creating space for the forward group and the Rangers are rolling three lines that are a threat. It seems even when they lose important pieces up front -- say, Fast and Grabner, who they'll be without Monday -- there are always guys available to step up and help out.
That was evident in Thursday's 2-1 win over Boston. They got contributions from Pavel Buchnevich fresh out of putting on a clinic in the AHL, as well as fourth-line forwards Oscar Lindberg and Matt Puempel.
Other Matchups
Bruins (PP: 13, PK: 2) at Senators (PP: 24, PK: 11), 7:30 p.m.
Expected Goalies:Tuukka Rask (30-15-4, 2.26, .913), Craig Anderson (18-8-1, 2.25, .930)
Key Injuries:Adam McQuaid (neck), Chris Neil (finger), Bobby Ryan (finger)
With a lot on the line for both teams, this should be played like a playoff game. In fact, bad blood may be boiling under the surface with an assumption that these two may meet in the first round of the postseason.
Both teams have been getting solid goaltending from their starters. Anderson, in particular, has been undervalued. Since returning from an absence to be with his wife on Feb. 11, he's had the best save percentage in the NHL.
Add in that the Bruins penalty kill is one f the league's best, and there might not be a lot of value to be found from the depth players in this contest. It should be a tightly played chess match rather than a shootout.
But Boston's top-line is always capable of breaking a game open, whether it's David Pastrnak or David Backes on the right side, the combination of Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand makes it one of the best lines in the NHL.
Sharks (PP: 22, PK: 16) at Jets (PP: 21, PK: 26), 8:00 p.m.
Expected Goalies:Aaron Dell (8-3-1, 1.88, .935), Connor Hellebuyck (22-15-3, 2.76, .910)
Key Injuries:Joonas Donskoi (lower body), Jannik Hansen (not injury related), David Schlemko (lower body), Tyler Myers (lower body)
The Sharks are coming off a tough loss to the Minnesota Wild on Sunday. It was a playoff-style game. It was fast and physical with a burst of scoring in the first period that was followed by the Wild shutting things down. Since it's a road back-to-back for the Sharks, that may make them vulnerable to Winnipeg. They'll also be starting inexperienced backup Aaron Dell, who has fared surprisingly well in his first season of consistent NHL duties.
Meanwhile, the Jets have been scoring an impressive number of goals lately. They're averaging four goals per game over their last eight contests and that's involved shutting out the Blues, taking the Wild to the brink in a 6-5 game, a win over the Senators, and taking the Penguins to overtime. They're capable of beating just about anyone through an ability to score almost at will.
There's a lot you can mine from the Jets and they're getting overlooked. Over the last four games, Blake Wheeler has three goals and five assists. Patrik Laine has nine goals and five assists over the last eight games. How about Mathieu Perreault? He's on a seven-game point streak with three goals and eight assists. Dustin Byfuglien has a streak of the same length going, over which he's put up two goals and seven assists.
There's more because the Jets scoring has been ridiculous. Over that eight-game stretch, Mark Scheifele has two goals and 11 assists.
Recommended Pickup
Brady Skjei, D, NYR — While there are some good notes for guys on the Jets -- Nik Ehlers, anyone? -- Skjei has been mighty impressive for the Rangers. Through the season's first 55 games, he played more than 20 minutes just twice. Over the last nine games, he's hit that benchmark four times. He's getting opportunities and seeing power play time, and it's been producing results for owners. Over the last nine games, he has five assists and a goal, as well as a plus-3 rating, 14 hits and eight blocked shots.
