There will be two NHL matchups on Sunday beginning at 6 p.m. EDT with Game 7 between Tampa and Montreal followed by Game 1 of the second round between Colorado and Minnesota. The former series has been stellar and I have high expectations for the latter, so here are my DFS lineup recommendations.
SLATE PREVIEW
Joel Eriksson Ek is questionable for the Wild while Jonas Brodin is out. Josh Manson is also questionable for the Avs after missing the last game during their opening sweep of the Kings. It also doesn't seem like Noah Dobson or Victor Hedman will be ready to return for the Habs or Lightning, and it would probably be hard to work them into a Game 7 situation anyway.
GOALIE
Jesper Wallstedt, MIN at COL ($7,100): Wallstedt comes into Sunday with the lowest goalie salary, and I think he's worth a shot. He performed well in the first round by posting a 2.05 GAA and .924 save percentage. He was also hot down the stretch during the regular season with a 1.98/.930 line through his last 10 outings. While Colorado's high-powered offense got to LA over the last two games, let's not forget the club only managed two goals in each of the first two.
VALUE PLAY/ONE-OFF
Artturi Lehkonen, COL vs. MIN ($4,000): And now, I use my one-off option to hedge my bet a bit on Wallstedt. Lehkonen was as solid as any Colorado forward against the Kings with at least one point from three of four and multiple shots three times. He also skates next to Nathan MacKinnon at even-strength. And with only four teams in action on Sunday, you shouldn't avoid players just because they're facing the netminder you selected.
FORWARD LINE STACK TO CONSIDER
Lightning vs. Canadiens
Anthony Cirelli (C - $4,200), Nikita Kucherov (W - $8,600), Brandon Hagel (W - $7,400)
And there goes all the salary you saved at goaltender! Tampa will be at home for Game 7 while the Canadiens were middling across-the-board defensively during the regular season. And while Jakub Dobes has stepped up in the playoffs, he recorded a .901 save percentage over the regular season. There have been two forwards on Tampa who've really stepped up offensively, though they happen to be on two separate lines. I opted for this trio given the combined potential.
Cirelli has only tallied two points this series, but has reached 20 goals from each of the last three seasons and 50 points in each of the last two. And skating as the center on this units provides him scoring upside. The overreaction to Kucherov "only" getting six points so far are based on the fact he's produced over 110 in each of the last four full seasons while a perennial Hart candidate. He also directed 28 shots on net this series while logging over 4:30 on the power play during every outings. Hagel is the one who's stepped up big against the Habs with six goals and two assists. He's also skated 23-plus minutes every night, which obviously improves his chances of contributing.
DEFENSEMAN
Lane Hutson, MON at TAM ($5,300): With Dobson out, Hutson has had to shoulder the Habs' blueline offensive load and started the series on a five-game scoring streak. While he didn't find the scoresheet on Friday, he did record two shots and two blocked shots to mark his third effort with multiple offerings. Only four teams are in action on Sunday and neither matchup has much in the way of a clear advantage, so you might as well diversify and get a piece of every roster.
