This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
It's the weekend before Halloween, so you might be spending your Saturday doing something of the spooky variety. Before you head out, be sure to get your DFS lineups in. The NHL has seven games starting at 7 p.m. EDT or later. Hopefully these recommendations will be all treat and no trick when all is said and done.
SLATE PREVIEW
Boston-Detroit certainly draws the eye as a game to watch, but there are better options from a DFS perspective. In terms of back-to-backs, the Kings and Golden Knights are playing each other and both are swapping home/road designation from Friday. Meanwhile, the Rangers visit Vancouver, but they catch a Canucks team who just played Friday.
GOALIES
Igor Shesterkin, NYR at VAN ($8,500): Jonathan Quick has been involved enough of late, but in the end Shesterkin is the lead and every head coach who rolls through town realizes that. His overall numbers don't wow, though it's only been five starts with two where he struggled and three where he only allowed one goal. The Canucks have been scoring, but also have been converting shots into goals at an unsustainable rate. I'll take Shesterkin against the team on the second leg of a back-to-back.
Joseph Woll, TOR at NAS ($7,900): I assume the Leafs will do the sensible thing and keep starting Woll as he's excelled while Ilya Samsonov has underperformed. I'm not surprised given Woll now has a career .934 save percentage (in 15 appearances, but even so). While Filip Forsberg being back is a plus for the Predators, the offense hasn't gotten off to the best start averaging a mediocre 2.86 goals.
VALUE PLAYS
Jonathan Marchessault, VGK at LOS ($6,300): Both teams may have skated Friday, but the Golden Knights definitely boast the better matchups. Marchessault has followed up winning the Conn Smythe with 25 shots through eight outings and a point in three of his last four. Cam Talbot should be in net for the Kings and he's allowed at least three goals in three of his four starts. Pheonix Copley was chased so early Friday he would practically be pulling a back-to-back himself.
Charlie Coyle, BOS vs. DET ($4,600): Coyle has been a 40-point player each of the last two seasons, and he's been excelling with five so far this year. That's with an 8.3 shooting percentage that should improve. The Red Wings are potting a lot of goals, yet haven't exactly been defensive juggernauts with Ville Husso struggling to a 3.38 GAA and .893 save percentage.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Rangers at Canucks
Mika Zibanejad (C - $7,000), Chris Kreider (W - $7,300), Kaapo Kakko (W - $4,200)
The Canucks will be starting Casey DeSmith, who's been one of the better backups in the NHL over his career with a .912 save percentage. However, this is a situation where he's starting behind a team who played Friday against a rested opponent. I'm certainly looking to the Rangers and to their first line.
Zibanejad may only have two points since notching three assists in New York's opener, but he's been unlucky with 22 shots without any goals. He lit the lamp 39 times last season, so that's bound to change. The goals have gone to Kreider with five after 52 and 36 the last two campaigns. Kakko was a second-overall pick, and the Rangers are probably hoping playing on the top trio will get him going. So far…not quite, though he's recorded two points and he go up to 40 last year.
Islanders at Blue Jackets
Bo Horvat (C - $6,900), Mathew Barzal (W - $5,700), Anders Lee (W – $4,600)
The Blue Jackets have allowed 32.6 shots per game, which is actually an improvement for them. Unfortunately for Columbus, Elvis Merzlikins' first two starts of the season seem to have been a mirage as he's posted an .869 save percentage across his last three starts and an .898 save over three seasons. The Islanders aren't known for offensive firepower, though their first unit offers some talent.
Horvat was brought in last season to give the Isles more oomph up the middle, and he's done that. with two multipoint games from his last four outings along with 25 shots. Barzal has registered one point in each of his last five games to go with a 4.3 shooting percentage from 23 shots, so improvement should come. Lee potted 28 goals in each of his previous two seasons and once scored 40, so seeing him with only one goal and one assist so far is a bit surprising. However, he hasn't been on the first line for the full season, and past results give me confidence he'll start to find the scoresheet.
DEFENSEMEN
Noah Dobson, NYI at CLM ($5,900): Dobson has been around 50 points and 200 shots on net in each of his last two seasons, and this year he's looking to take things to a new level. Not only is he riding a five-game scoring streak, he's also managed two points in back-to-back appearances. Merzlikins, as noted, enters with an .898 save percentage the last three seasons, so both of Dobson's runs certainly could continue.
Kris Letang, PIT vs. OTT ($5,600): Erik Karlsson's presence has cut into Letang's power-play time, but not his overall minutes as he's averaged 24:35 a night with four points and 15 shots. While the Senators haven't allowed a lot of shots, the goaltending has been subpar where it hasn't mattered much. Anton Forsberg will likely get this start with his career .907 save percentage.
