This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Tuesday's NHL slate was originally supposed to be substantially larger but will now feature only one game at 10:00 p.m. EST -- Lightning at Golden Knights. This will be the league's last action before Dec. 27, as the NHL will start its holiday break early. Below, you'll find a breakdown of the action and suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
SLATE PREVIEW
Both of these teams are among the top contenders for the Stanley Cup. Vegas is a modest home favorite against the Lightning, and the game has an over/under of 6.0 goals.
GOALIES
Robin Lehner, VGK vs. TB ($7,800): Lehner's 5-0-0 in his last six starts, and while four of those six opponents tagged him for at least three goals, he's finding ways to win. Tampa Bay's far from full strength, and while that hasn't stopped the Lightning from continuing to find success, Lehner will be tough to beat if he's locked in.
Andrei Vasilevskiy, TB at VGK ($7,600): Vasilevskiy's team is almost always favored, and while that's not the case in this road matchup against a quality opponent, you can still feel confident that the star netminder will deliver a strong performance. He's 16-4-3 with a 2.10 GAA and .928 save percentage, leaving Vasilevskiy in his customary spot as one of the leading candidates for the Vezina Trophy.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Steven Stamkos, TB at VGK ($7,400): Stamkos has been the main offensive threat for the Lightning with injuries striking the team's forward corps. He has a 13-21-34 line through 28 contests, leading the team in both goals and points. Another productive effort should be on tap against a Golden Knights team that's allowing the fourth-most fantasy points to centers.
Reilly Smith, VKG vs. TB ($4,400): Smith has four helpers in his last four games, propelling his season line to 10-14-24 through 31 games. The original member of the misfits line has been a key contributor for the Golden Knights for their inception, and he's likely to bring his A-game for this high-profile matchup, making Smith a nice value at $4,400.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Golden Knights vs. Lightning
Chandler Stephenson (C - $5,100), Max Pacioretty (W - $8,700), Evgenii Dadonov (W - $3,100)
Even if Mark Stone (upper body) doesn't play, his two usual linemates have enough skill to wreak havoc on the Lightning's defense. Pacioretty has been as good as anybody in the league on a per-game basis with a 12-8-20 line through 14 appearances, while Stephenson's on a point-per-game pace through 30 with a 9-21-30 line. Dadonov has an 8-6-14 line this season, and the three-time 25-goal scorer has the offensive capabilities to fill in effectively for Stone, having also reached the 70-point mark once.
Lightning at Golden Knights
Anthony Cirelli (C - $4,500), Alex Killorn (W - $4,300), Ross Colton (W - $2,700)
Tampa Bay's affordable second line has been effective recently. Cirelli has a 2-3-5 line in his last seven games, and his 8-9-17 output through 27 contests overall has the 24-year-old center on pace to surpass his previous highs of 19 goals (2018-19) and 44 points (2019-20). Killorn has a 9-15-24 line in 29 games, carrying over his success from last year's playoffs, when Killorn racked up an outstanding 8-9-17 line in 19 contests. Colton has moved up the lineup due to injuries and has seized the opportunity with seven points in his last nine games.
DEFENSEMEN
Victor Hedman, TB at VGK ($7,400): Along with Stamkos, Hedman has been the other player ensuring the Lightning stay on track despite all their injuries. He's in the Norris Trophy mix as usual, thanks in large part to an outstanding 7-23-30 line in 29 games. Hedman brings a two-game goal streak into this one. Bet against him extending it at your own risk.
Dylan Coghlan, VGK vs. TB ($2,800): Coghlan is easy to overlook behind all the big names on Vegas' blue line, but the affordable defenseman has been hot of late with a 2-2-4 line in his last four games. If you need a bargain bin defenseman to round out your lineup, Coghlan has the most upside of the bunch given his recent form.
