This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
While NBA players are shooting threes and dunking over poorly-built catamarans or whatever, the NHL will have five games Saturday night. It's not the most exciting slate from a viewership perspective, but there are DFS opportunities. Be sure your lineups are ready by 7 p.m. EST for the first evening matchup!
SLATE PREVIEW
We have one team on the second leg of a back-to-back. That's the Kings, though they'll be facing the Coyotes. And since the Sens were once a team to target, I do want you to know they now maintain a 3.19 GAA and may soon move out of the bottom-10 in that category. That's not a great number, but you have to remember not long ago they ranked last in the league.
GOALIES
Jacob Markstrom, CGY vs. SEA ($8,400): The Flames have been hot, and Markstrom has been a big reason why. Over his last 12 games, he's posted nine wins with an 1.89 GAA and .932 save percentage. I definitely can envision another victory at home against the expansion Kraken, who sit 26th in the NHL in goals per game and 31st in shots on net.
Cal Petersen, LOS at ARI ($8,200): This is admittedly a bit of a risk, given the Kings are on their second straight night. Having said that, the Coyotes have been brutal offensively with a league-low 2.23 goals per game. They're also last in average shots on net with 25.9, while the Kraken in 31st are at 28.3. It's a matchup worth attacking if you want to save some salary and not go with Markstrom.
VALUE PLAYS
Elias Lindholm, CGY vs. SEA ($8,000): It's awfully nice to be centering a line with Matthew Tkachuk and Johnny Gaudreau, one imagines. Lindholm has recorded 46 points in 47 games, and he's been as hot as any NHLer with at least one point in 12 of his last 13 games. Seattle's woeful goaltending has left them with a 3.54 GAA, fifth-worst in the league.
Trevor Moore, LOS at ARI ($4,900): The Kings are on a back-to-back, but the Coyotes have produced a 3.67 GAA and that's tied with the Blue Jackets for second-highest in the league. Moore's shooting percentage could use some regression toward the mean, but he's still got seven points in his last eight games and 18 in the New Year.
LINE STACK TO CONSIDER
Ducks at Canucks: Trevor Zegras (C - $6,100), Sonny Milano (W -$4,900), Rickard Rakell (W - $5,800)
Anaheim's second line all currently skate on the top power play. That's enticing as the Canucks have the league's worst penalty kill. Relying on time with the extra man can backfire, but this trio could benefit if Vancouver takes a few penalties.
Zegras is flashy, but he also produces with 35 points - including nine PPPs. And not every one of them has involved a lacrosse-style play, for the record. Since returning to action, Milano has totaled three points from three games and nine on the power play for the season. Rakell was struggling for a bit, but he now has a point in four of his last five games.
DEFENSE
Oliver Ekman-Larsson, VAN vs. ANA ($5,300): Ekman-Larsson is riding a five-game point streak where he's notched seven points and 14 shots on net. Meanwhile, John Gibson's last five appearances have been concerning. In fact, over his last seven starts, he's struggled with a 3.66 GAA and .896 save percentage.
Jakob Chychrun, ARI vs. LOS ($5,100): Points have been hard to come by for Chychrun and his 1.7 shooting percentage is part of that. Since returning from injury, he's racked up 32 shots on goal and 20 blocked shots. Chychrun has also managed four assists over that stretch, albeit without any goals. Maybe some puck luck will come his way against a Kings side on the second leg of a back-to-back.
