This article is part of our FantasyAces NHL series.
It is a busy night in the NHL this Thursday, with the Stanley Cup rematch between the Chicago Blackhawks and Tampa Bay Lightning featuring two teams on a roll.
Here are your FantasyAces recommendations for the 10-game slate.
Player Recommendations
G: Tuukka Rask, BOS vs. VAN ($7,600): This is a shutout chase, and the Canucks enter as a depleted offense that's been struggling on the road all season. Vancouver ranks 27th in CorsiFor percentage, 23rd in goals per road game and 26th in power-play percentage on the road. Meanwhile, Rask has won his past two games, topping 65 of 68 shots in that time.
C: Jason Spezza, DAL vs. EDM ($5,300): Not only is Spezza padding the points column over his past 15 games, he's also hammering the peripherals. During that span, he has 16 points -- four goals -- with a plus-6 rating and 29 shots on net. Edmonton is playing its third road game in four nights and has allowed 3.2 goals per road game for the season.
C: Anze Kopitar, LA vs. MIN ($5,200): The pivot kick-starts the line stack, and Kopitar has been on an extended hot streak. He has eight goals and 25 helpers over his past 27 games with a plus-13 rating and 65 shots on net, and Kopitar has also averaged 22:17 minutes per night over that stretch.
W: Tyler Toffoli, LA vs. MIN ($5,100): Rolling right along with Kopitar, Toffoli has 11 goals, five assists and 42 shots over his past 16 games with a plus-14 rating. The Wild have only won two of their past nine games and are on the latter half of a back-to-back road set.
W: Milan Lucic, LA vs. MIN ($4,800): Rounding out the No. 1 line, Lucic is a worthwhile stack alongside Toffoli and Kopitar, especially at this friendly salary. He has a five-game point streak going and is skating on the No. 1 power-play unit, too. Minnesota kills penalties at just 78.5 percent on the road.
W: Alexander Wennberg, CLM vs. CGY ($3,500): An obvious value at this price tag, Wennberg has assumed the No. 1 center role since Ryan Johansen was shipped out. The 2013 draftee has delivered, too. Wennberg has 11 points -- four goals -- over his past 15 games with 26 shots, 13 blocked shots and an average of 17:35 minutes of ice time per night.
W: Brandon Saad, CLM vs. CGY ($5,000): Setting up another stack with a favorable matchup, Saad is seven games removed from a scorching stretch, but consistently passes the eye test. The Flames are just 5-12-3 on the road and allow 3.14 goals per game. Look for Saad and Wennberg to show well as contrarian options Thursday.
D: Jake Muzzin, LA vs. MIN ($4,300): Sporting an eight-game point streak with a plus-4 rating, 21 shots on net and an average of 22:41 on the ice, Muzzin moves the needle across all categories. As mentioned, Minnesota is potentially low-hanging fruit Thursday.
D: Olli Maatta, PIT vs. PHI ($4,150): Over his past four games, Maatta has a goal, two helpers and six shots on net with a plus-4 rating, six blocked shots and an average of 21:12 minutes of ice. This is a nice buy-low spot for the rearguard, especially with Philadelphia allowing 2.82 goals per road game.
