This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
We're approaching the end of the NHL regular season. Some teams have waved the white flag, which offers opportunities on the DFS front. Young, inexperienced players often don't provide the same defensive front as their veteran counterparts. There are nine NHL games Saturday night starting at 7 p.m. EDT or later. Here are my DFS recommendations.
SLATE PREVIEW
Five of the bottom-six teams in GAA are in action Saturday evening, with the Red Wings playing in the afternoon. We've got two teams on the second leg of a back-to-back with Montreal at home and Winnipeg on the road.
GOALIE
Andrei Vasilevskiy, TAM vs. WPG ($8,000): At home, Vasilevskiy has posted a 2.25 GAA and .919 save percentage. The Jets rank 16th in goals per game, but they are also on the second night of a back-to-back. And Mark Scheifele is still out.
Jake Oettinger, DAL vs. SAN ($7,900): Oettinger has a .914 save percentage, but with a 2.53 GAA. Scott Wedgewood has gotten the last two starts for the Stars, but ultimately Oettinger is their guy. The Sharks have been surprisingly punchless offensively this year only averaging 2.58 goals and 29.4 shots on net. Those numbers are pretty much the same as Montreal's.
Vitek Vanecek, WAS at MON ($8,100): Speaking of the Habs, they're also playing for a second straight night. The Capitals have only allowed 29.1 shots per game, which has kept Vanecek from being too busy and has helped him to a 2.63 GAA.
VALUE PLAYS
Mikael Backlund, CGY vs. ARI ($4,700): Backlund has recorded an assist in each of his last two games, both of them on the power play. He's also recently received a gift with Matthew Tkachuk dropping down to his line. The Coyotes enter with a 3.70 GAA, and they also happen to have the league's worst penalty kill.
Jordan Eberle, SEA vs. NJD ($4,700): Eberle has started 60.8 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, highest on the Kraken. Second-overall pick Matty Beniers has also recently debuted, and should provide a jolt of energy as Eberle's center More importantly, the Devils have struggled to a 3.65 GAA, which is fifth-highest in the NHL.
LINE STACKS TO CONSIDER
Kings vs. Blue Jackets: Phillip Danault (C - $5,400), Viktor Arvidsson (W - $6,300), Trevor Moore (W - $5,300)
If you're wondering why the Blue Jackets maintain a 3.68 GAA, look no further than the league-high 35.4 shots on net they've allowed. They'll also be a long way from home tonight. Meanwhile, the Kings quietly boast a productive second line that provides DFS upside.
Danault has actually notched a point in seven of his last eight games to get him to 47 on the year. Arvidsson is built for a matchup like this with 220 shots on goal. Moore has enjoyed a career-best campaign in spite of a 7.8 shooting percentage that speaks to bad puck luck. He's also produced 45 points, including nine in his last 14 to go along with 51 shots.
Lightning vs. Jets: Steven Stamkos (C - $7,800), Ondrej Palat (W - $4,200), Ross Colton (W - $4,000)
The Jets have allowed 32.9 shots on net per game, and now are on the road for the second night of a back-to-back. Eric Comrie is one of the least-used backup goalies in the NHL. He's only appeared in 14 games, and only four since the start of March. One of those was Friday night, when Connor Hellebuyck got chased.
Stamkos is certainly the star of this line with 82 points, including 26 on the power play. He can score goals, but he's been a playmaker of late with 14 assists in his last 15 outings. Palat has recently been cold even with a two-point effort last week that bring him up to 39 on the season. Colton is the counterpoint to Palat with six goals and 26 shots in 26 appearances.
DEFENSE
Noah Hanifin, CGY vs. ARI ($5,300): I often recommend Rasmus Andersson, but his pairing partner also deserves some love. Hanifin has posted 15 points over his last 15 games. As I've noted, the Coyotes have a 3.70 GAA. Also, Karel Vejmelka has allowed six goals in each of his last six games. His backup is Harri Sateri, a 32-year-old who has played in 11 total NHL games during his career.
Ivan Provorov, PHI at BUF ($4,900): It's been a tough season for Provorov, but he's picked it up with eight points and 27 shots on net across eight games. Meanwhile, the Sabres have averaged 3.54 goals and 33.4 shots against.
Henri Jokiharju, BUF vs. PHI ($4,000): Jokiharju only has 17 points, but he's managed an assist in back-to-back outings. He also has a new pairing partner in Owen Power, the first-overall pick from last summer. The Flyers have been even worse than Buffalo defensively with a 3.58 GAA while allowing 34.0 shots per game. They're also the first team I think of when it comes to teams turning to young players down the stretch.
