This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
There are five NHL games starting at 5 p.m. EDT or later, so after you have eaten all the chocolate you can handle, put together your DFS lineups — with these recommendations as a guide.
SLATE PREVIEW
There were 14 NHL games Saturday, so needless to say we have some teams on a back-to-back Sunday. In fact, only two of the 10 teams in action aren't playing their second game in as many nights. Those teams would be the Islanders, on the road in Toronto, and the Ducks, who are hosting Columbus.
GOALIES
Marc-Andre Fleury, MIN vs. SAN ($8,400): This is a tough day for DFS goalies. The Wild are on a back-to-back, but they are at home, and they also don't feature a significant talent disparity between goalies. In fact, since joining the Wild, Fleury has a 2.36 GAA and .929 save percentage in six games. The Sharks, meanwhile, are in the bottom five in goals per contest.
Anthony Stolarz, ANA vs. CLM ($8,000): John Gibson has not allowed fewer than three goals in a game since January 31, so it would make sense for the Ducks to go with Stolarz over him. Indeed, Stolarz has started four of Anaheim's last seven contests, and he has a 2.63 GAA and .917 save percentage. The Blue Jackets are above-average offensively, but are in the bottom five in GAA and shots on net allowed per game. I like Stolarz's chances of getting a home win if he's in net.
VALUE PLAYS
Alex Tuch, BUF at PHI ($5,400): Tuch started hot once he got health, cooled down, and then picked it back up, again. Over his last 15 games he's tallied 12 points. This is the second game of a home-and-home between these two teams, but with Carter Hart injured the Flyers will likely have Felix Sandstrom in net. The rookie has only played in two NHL games.
Joel Farabee, PHI vs. BUF ($4,300): Due to injuries, call ups, and assorted lineup maneuvers, Farabee is currently on the top line for the Flyers. He's also found himself on the top power-play unit. Buffalo, who is on a back-to-back like Philly, has allowed 33.4 shots on net per game and has a 3.54 team GAA. Farabee has chipped in 34 points in 56 games, so he could take advantage of this situation.
LINE STACKS TO CONSIDER
Ducks vs. Blue Jackets: Trevor Zegras (C - $5,000), Troy Terry (W - $4,700), Derek Grant ($2,700)
Take a team with a 3.68 GAA that has also allowed 35.4 shots on net per contest. Put them on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back. Throw in a likely starting goalie who was the fourth-string netminder when the season began. Now, have them face a team that is at home and rested. That's the scenario here, and that's why I'm in on the Ducks' second line.
Amidst all the flash, Zegras has 20 goals and 35 assists in 69 games. He just had a four-game point streak end, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him start a new point streak Sunday. Terry didn't sustain the super-hot start he had, but he also hasn't fallen by the wayside. With a goal in each of his last three games he now has 34 on the season. Getting kicked up into the top six among Anaheim forwards has given Grant a boost. He has five points in his last four games.
Islanders at Maple Leafs: Brock Nelson (C - $6,200), Anders Lee ($3,900), Anthony Beauvillier ($3,500)
Jack Campbell was great to start the season. He was even an All-Star. Then, his play collapsed. After a lengthy absence due to a rib injury, it was reasonable to wonder if his health was behind his drop in performance. Well, since returning, Campbell has a 3.37 GAA and .889 save percentage. Maybe it wasn't the injury. The American goalie will be behind a team on the second leg of a back-to-back Sunday, offering opportunity to the Islanders' top trio.
Nelson has two points in each of his last two games. While an elevated 22.5 shooting percentage is partially responsible, he also has the first 30-goal campaign of his career. Lee has started 61.1 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, second highest on the Islanders. With 26 goals in 68 games, a good close to the season could get Lee over the 30 goal mark as well. He also has a point in each of his last two games. Beauvillier is on the opposite end of the spectrum from Nelson, as an unlucky 7.5 shooting percentage has tamped his numbers down. He has managed nine points on the power play, so maybe a little time with the extra man in this matchup could help him break through.
DEFENSE
Rasmus Dahlin, BUF at PHI ($5,200): Hopefully Dahlin's young legs won't be too tired on the second leg of a back-to-back. It does help that he's averaged 3:02 per game on the power play, which tend to be less-tiring minutes. The Swede has tallied 48 points (19 with the extra man), and the Flyers are in the bottom six in GAA and shots on net allowed per game.
Kevin Shattenkirk, ANA vs. CLM ($4,300): Shattenkirk has recently been moved up to pair with Cam Fowler as Anaheim's top defensive duo. He's also always a point of intrigue on the power play, as he's tallied 14 points with the extra man. Columbus doesn't have a terrible penalty kill – it ranks 19th – but it is bad at basically everything else defensively, and it is also on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back.
