After a Saturday packed with NHL action, we aren't lacking for games on Sunday with five games starting at 5 p.m. EDT or later. Let's end the weekend on a high note! Here are my DFS lineup recommendations.
SLATE PREVIEW
Only two teams didn't play on Saturday, with one of them on this slate as Chicago will visit New Jersey. That means there are four matchups involving clubs on the second day of a back-to-back with Columbus, Carolina, and Tampa all at home for both.
GOALIES
Casey DeSmith, DAL at PHI ($8,000): As the Stars boast two viable NHL goalies, they're a team to look to on Sunday. DeSmith has posted a 2.40 GAA and .908 save percentage backing up Jake Oettinger. Maybe a bit of this is about the Stars getting a few more hours to travel and prepare than the Flyers, but it's mostly Philly being in the bottom-five in shots per game.
Spencer Knight, CHI at NJD ($7,300): Knight has recorded a .908 save percentage and will likely be the starter for Sunday's only rested team. This is a favorable matchup for him and the Blackhawks as the Devils rank 27th for average goals.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Nikolaj Ehlers, CAR vs. MON ($5,600): As with the Jets, Ehlers generally logs even-strength third-line minutes for Carolina while loading up on the power play where he's racked up 24 points so far this season. The Canadiens sit bottom-eight in penalty-kill percentage and Jacob Fowler started Saturday, leaving lesser options for Sunday.
Tyler Bertuzzi, CHI at NJD ($4,500): If I were to tell you Bertuzzi is one goal away from his second 30-goal campaign, you might be surprised about that and the fact he managed a previous one. Given the Blackhawks are the lone rested team facing a club on their second straight day, I'm certainly looking to roster somebody from their roster.
FORWARD LINE STACK TO CONSIDER
Predators at Lightning
Ryan O'Reilly (C - $5,700), Steven Stamkos (W - $5,900), Luke Evangelista (W - $4,200)
O'Reilly and Stamkos aren't young anymore and will be on the road for the second night of a back-to-back, yet I still like this stack. And it's not just because Stamkos is going up against his old team. Andrei Vasilevskiy started on Saturday, which means Jonas Johansson and his .883 save percentage should get the nod Sunday.
O'Reilly has completely bounced back with 66 points while significantly improving his plus-minus. He's also registered 13 points from his last 17 games. Speaking of turning it around, Stamkos has potted 36 goals so far and could hit 40 like he did during his final campaign with Tampa. He's also accumulated 22 power-play points. Now in his third full year, it appears Evangelista will be a player who doesn't fire a lot of pucks on net and posts low shooting percentages. On the other hand, he's really emerged as a playmaker with 40 assists to go with 10 goals.
DEFENSEMEN
Ivan Provorov, CLM vs. BOS ($3,200): Provorov is the Columbus defenseman other than Zach Werenski who regularly averages 20-plus minutes while also working on the man-advantage. He's also tallied 28 points. Boston is bottom-eight in both shots allowed and penalty-kill percentage while on the road Sunday. With Werenski's salary level, I'd prefer to take a chance on Provorov.
Alex Vlasic, CHI at NJD ($2,900): With the ice time top-four defensemen tend to log, it definitely makes sense to get yourself a Chicago defenseman on Sunday. Vlasic is my choice against the Devils, who are average at preventing goals and playing for a second consecutive day. He's also produced an assist from three of his last four outings.
