This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
This would have been the final Sunday of the regular season, but then the Kraken and Jets had a game postponed. Still, for many of the teams in action this Sunday, it will be the last time they play on the weekend until next fall. There are seven games that start at 7 p.m. EDT or later.
Here are my Sunday recommendations…
SLATE PREVIEW
Saturday was also a busy day, so naturally we have a lot of teams on the second night of a back-to-back. Florida-Tampa, Montreal-Boston, and Anaheim-St. Louis all feature two teams in a back-to-back situation. Rested Capitals and Golden Knights teams get to host the Maple Leafs and Sharks respectively. Then, the Wild visit the Predators after the Preds were in Tampa on Saturday. Expect a hefty helping of backup goalies.
GOALIES
Logan Thompson, VGK vs. SAN ($8,500): The rookie Thompson had outplayed Robin Lehner, as he has a 2.56 GAA and .920 save percentage. With Lehner now out for the season, there is nobody blocking Thompson from being the clear go-to guy. The Sharks rank 30th in goals per game, and the Golden Knights need the win, so motivation is on the home team's side as well.
Jeremy Swayman, BOS at MON ($8,400): We have two teams on a back-to-back here, but the Bruins have two reliable goalies. Swayman is slated for the Sunday start, and he has a 2.35 GAA and .916 save percentage. The Canadiens also happen to be 31st in goals per game, which obviously helps.
Cam Talbot, MIN at NAS ($7,900): My first two goaltending choices were easy, but finding a third was a little trickier. The Predators have an above-average offense in terms of goals per game, but they are on the second day of a back-go-back. Meanwhile, Talbot has been hot. Over his last 12 contests, he has a 2.15 GAA and .925 save percentage with nine wins.
VALUE PLAYS
Taylor Hall, BOS at MON ($3,800): Hall has racked up 57 points in 78 games, and he's also averaged 2:47 per game with the extra man. The Canadiens' penalty kill is hovering around the bottom five in the league, and their GAA is the highest overall. Both of these teams may be on a back-to-back, but the Bruins still have a clear matchup advantage here.
Andre Burakovsky, COL at WPG ($3,600): Even with their top two wings injured, the Avalanche can keep rolling thanks to guys like Burakovsky. With 60 points in 76 games, he's worthy of a spot next to Nathan MacKinnon for the time being. Connor Hellebucyk is under the weather, so little-used backup Eric Comrie could be in net behind a defense that has allowed 33.2 shots on net per game. Comrie has a career .901 save percentage.
LINE STACKS TO CONSIDER
Capitals vs. Maple Leafs: Lars Eller (C - $2,700), Anthony Mantha (W - $3,900), T.J. Oshie (W - $3,400)
Remember when Erik Kallgren briefly gave the Maple Leafs some hope in net? The rookie now has a 3.48 GAA and .882 save percentage. And yet, he'll likely be in goal for Toronto on the second night of a back-to-back. I've recommended the third line for the Capitals here, mostly because I like Eller's wings better than Nicklas Backstrom's.
Eller's numbers have perked up recently, perhaps in part to the guys currently on his wing. Over his last seven games he has seven points and 20 shots on goal. Mantha had a four-point game recently, and on the season he has 21 points and 75 shots on goal in 33 contests. Oshie is the one guy in this trio on the top power-play unit. He's averaged 3:20 with the extra man and tallied nine power-play points in 40 games.
Blues vs. Ducks: Brayden Schenn (C - $4,300), Jordan Kyrou (W - $4,300), Ivan Barbashev (W - $2,800)
I'm recommending two third lines Sunday, but the Blues' third line is not built like most teams. This is a talented, productive trio. The Ducks waved the white flag at the deadline more than any other team in the league. They've allowed 33.3 shots on net per game this season, and in recent games they've been even worse defensively. Anthony Stolarz started Saturday, so John Gibson will likely be in net Sunday. Over his last 25 games he has a 3.94 GAA and .888 save percentage.
Schenn has racked up 16 points in his last 14 games. He's also tallied 17 points with the extra man this year. Now, he also surprisingly missed Saturday's game, so it's possible he will not be in action. Kyrou grabbed some attention when he won the Fastest Skater competition during All-Star weekend, but he's more than just a speedy player. He's notched 68 points in 71 games, and he might double his previous career high in points. Barbashev has already double his previous personal best, as he has 57 points in 78 games. He 22.6 shooting percentage is a little high, but his career percentage is 18.9, so this isn't completely out of the realm of his capabilities.
DEFENSE
Alex Pietrangelo, VGK vs. SAN ($5,900): Pietrangelo has stayed active this season, as he has 216 shots on net in 76 games. That's helped him tally 13 goals to go with 29 assists. The Sharks are on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back, and Kaapo Kahkonen has a 2.83 GAA and .913 save percentage.
Jared Spurgeon, MIN at NAS ($4,400): Spurgeon has 39 points in only 63 games, including 14 on the power play. Interestingly, all of his power-play points are assists, and all 10 of his goals have come at even strength. The last time the Predators had a back-to-back, they tried to start Juuse Saros for both games. Saros gave up four goals on 20 shots and was pulled after 30 minutes. Assuming they don't try that again, David Rittich (3.42 GAA, .833 save percentage) will be in net.
Dmitry Orlov, WAS vs. TOR ($4,000): Orlov doesn't provide quite as much production as teammate John Carlson, but he also doesn't command nearly as much salary. Plus, he's been no slouch offensively, picking up 12 goals and 23 assists in 72 games. I noted the Maple Leafs are on a back-to-back earlier, and also that Kallgren has a 3.48 GAA and .882 save percentage.
