This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
If you were planning to spend your Sunday watching football or playoff baseball, the NHL gets it. Only two games are happening Sunday night with both beginning at 8 p.m. EDT. But there's still games, which means DFS contests to enter. Here are my lineup recommendations.
SLATE PREVIEW
Your two matchups are Sharks-Avalanche and Ducks-Kings. The two home teams were two of the worst teams in the league last season and don't seem to have improved that much. None of these four squads are on the first or second leg of a back-to-back.
GOALIE
David Rittich, LOS at ANA ($7,800): Darcy Kuemper could return from his lower-body injury, though he's missed the last two games. Rittich came out of nowhere to post a 2.15 GAA and .921 save percentage in 24 appearances for the Kings last season. His first start this year was rough, but he just made 27 saves on 28 shots against the Canadiens. The Ducks are of a similar caliber offensively - and perhaps, even a bit worse - as they've averaged 2.49 goals and 26.8 shots since the start of last season.
VALUE PLAY
Adrian Kempe, LOS at ANA ($7,700): Kempe is doing his thing. He didn't put a shot on net during the opened, but picked up an assist. Since then, Kempe has notched four points and 14 shots. The Ducks have allowed at least 30 shots on goal in every game this season, and Lukas Dostal has conceded four goals in each of his last two starts.
FORWARD LINE STACK
Avalanche at Sharks
Casey Mittelstadt (C- $6,300), Nikolai Kovalenko (W - $4,300), Logan O'Connor (W - $3,300)
The Sharks roster two goalies with sub-.900 save percentages last season. And to no one's surprises, both are currently carrying similar marks. It doesn't matter if it's Mackenzie Blackwood or Vitek Vanecek as both are below-average and the club is below-average defensively. Colorado boasts two stars on its top trio and a few key players missing from the lineup. There's a chance here to save some salary by stacking the Avs' second unit in a favorable matchup.
Mittelstadt is enjoying his elevated role with Colorado averaging 21:08, including 4:00 on the power play. The former Sabre has four goals and an assist through five games. And while his 23.5 shooting percentage is high, it's not unsustainable. The 25-year-old Kovalenko is a rookie who joined Colorado after 35 points in 42 KHL games last year. He just registered his first point to go with nine shots through five outings. O'Connor hasn't produced any points yet, but is coming of a campaign with 13 goals and 12 assists in 57 games. He also holds a larger role this season as his ice time has increased by over two minutes.
DEFENSEMAN
Jordan Spence, LOS at ANA ($3,900): Spence posted 24 points last season, six of them coming on the power play. He averaged 1:34 with the extra man last year, and now Drew Doughty is out long-term. That's provided Spence more responsibility as he's up to 18:40 with a robust 2:53 on the power play. The Ducks rank second-to-last on the penalty kill since the start of last year, and a defense that's given up at least 30 shots a night isn't likely to lock things down while down a man.
