It's a busy Sunday with March Madness selections happening and the Oscars. However, there are still four NHL games on the DFS slate beginning at 7 p.m. EDT or later. Here are my lineup recommendations.
SLATE PREVIEW
Five teams are on the second leg of a back-to-back. The Wild and Maple Leafs are playing each other, though the Wild get to be at home for both. Montreal hosts Anaheim while the Ducks started earlier on Saturday to get a little extra rest. Then there are the Kraken, who will be welcoming a rested Panthers team.
GOALIES
Sergei Bobrovsky, FLA at SEA ($7,800): It's been a down year for Bobrovsky and for the Panthers, but he's the only goalie on a team that wasn't in action on Saturday facing a club closing out a back-to-back. Seattle also happens to be bottom-10 for both goals and shots. This leaves Bobrovsky with a decent chance to earn a win and to possibly only allow a goal or two.
Jacob Fowler, MON vs. ANA ($7,800): Fowler remains on the Montreal roster for now, which makes it seem quite likely he'll start on Sunday given that Jakub Dobes got the nod Saturday. The rookie has made 11 appearances for the Canadiens while posting a .906 save percentage and 2.56 GAA. By the standards of Montreal netminders this season, that makes Fowler a hero. The Ducks list an above-average offense that'll be on the road for the second time in as many days.
VALUE PLAY/ONE-OFF
Anton Lundell, FLA at SEA ($4,300): Lundell is enjoying the largest role of his career due to Aleksander Barkov's injury. That includes getting real power-play time, where he's notched 14 points with the extra man. The Kraken, as noted, are finishing up a back-to-back while maintaining a 31st-ranked penalty kill.
FORWARD LINE STACK TO CONSIDER
Predators at Oilers
Ryan O'Reilly (C - $5,500), Steven Stamkos (W - $6,000), Jonathan Marchessault (W - $4,500)
The Oilers are going through it and their goaltending has proven a real problem with a 3.40 GAA. Tristan Jarry has struggled to a 4.17 since making the move from Pittsburgh. Edmonton can score goals, though the team struggle to prevent them. And that's why I'm stacking Nashville's top line.
O'Reilly has quietly accumulated 61 points through 64 games. He's also been shooting a lot more of late having tallied 25 pucks on target over his last eight. Stamkos is pretty much only a goal scorer now, but the future Hall of Famer can light the lamp with 31 - including nine on the power play. Unsurprisingly, the Oilers have a bottom-10 penalty kill. Marchessault has never found his footing with the Preds like Stamkos, yet he does have 11 points and 41 shots across his last 16 matchups.
DEFENSEMEN
Brock Faber, MIN vs. TOR ($4,300): Faber didn't have to do any traveling between Saturday and Sunday. And as a 23-year-old defenseman, I imagine he has more life in his legs than a lot of NHLers. Playing with Quinn Hughes has allowed Faber to thrive as he's now up to 14 goals and 29 assists on the campaign. Toronto will also be on a back-to-back and sits bottom-four in both GAA and shots allowed.
Mattias Ekholm, EDM vs. NAS ($3,800): Ekholm has recorded eight assists during his last nine games. His shooting has been erratic with plenty of performance resulting in zero shots, yet has managed at least two from eight of his last 16. Like the Oilers, Nashville comes into Sunday with a 3.40 GAA. So I guess you should expect each team to produce at least three goals.
