This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
December started on a light note for the NHL with only two games Friday. Saturday's slate features nine games starting at 7 p.m. EST or later. Here are my DFS lineup recommendations to try and make this a productive weekend.
SLATE PREVIEW
None of the bottom-six teams in GAA are in the mix, but there are still some good options to be found. Only one club is on the second leg of a back-to-back with the Senators hosting the Kraken.
GOALIES
Logan Thompson, VGK vs. WAS ($8,800): Adin Hill left Vegas's last game with a lower-body issue, so that increases the odds Thompson will start Saturday. While Thompson hasn't been as good as Hill, his career .915 save percentage more than suffices. That feels particularly true in this matchup as the Capitals have only managed 2.45 goals per game, which puts them 31st in the NHL.
Thatcher Demko, VAN at CGY ($8,300): Demko recently posted a couple iffy starts, though his issues have come against the likes of Vegas and Colorado. The Flames aren't as tough of a matchup having scored 2.96 goals per game. Demko still has a 2.22 GAA and .926 save percentage and receives plenty of offensive support.
Connor Ingram, ARI vs. STL ($7,900): This is a roll of the dice on a goalie who's outperformed previous campaigns. Ingram has produced a 2.52 GAA, but also a .922 save percentage. The Blues rank 20th in goals and 23rd in shots. If Ingram is less busy than usual at home, that could lead to a win and a decent amount of fantady points.
VALUE PLAYS
Drake Batherson, OTT vs. SEA ($5,900): Though the Sens are on the second leg of a back-to-back, I'm not avoiding their players. Batherson has gotten on track with four power-play points from his last six games after 29 last year with the extra man. Seattle has a 3.46 GAA, but also ranks in the bottom-10 in penalty-kill percentage.
Casey Mittelstadt, BUF at CAR ($5,300): Dylan Cozens skating as the first-line center in the wake of Tage Thompson's injury didn't prove a smooth transition, so Mittelstadt is now in that role and has racked up seven points over his last six outings and 20 in 23. He's still only 25, so maybe the former eighth-overall pick is finally ready to be the player the Sabres hoped. Carolina remains elite at preventing shots, but carry a 3.32 GAA due to awful goaltending as Pyotr Kochetkov has struggled to an .878 save percentage while actually outperforming Antti Raanta.
Tye Kartye, SEA at OTT ($3,500): Seattle gets to face an Ottawa side that just played Friday, so I'm also looking to that matchup. The rookie Kartye (who got some postseason action last year) has registered a point in each of his last three games and at least three shots in each. The Sens will likely be starting Anton Forsberg in goal, who enters with a career .906 save percentage.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Coyotes vs. Blues
Logan Cooley (C - $4,600), Clayton Keller (W - $7,100), Nick Schmaltz (W - $6,000)
The Blues have posted a 3.09 GAA while allowing 33.0 shots. Jordan Binnington has had to shoulder the load, and I don't think he's up to that long-term. In fact, he's struggled to a 4.56 GAA and .872 save percentage over his last six appearances. With Barrett Hayton out, the rookie Cooley is now centering the top line.
Cooley won't win the Calder over Connor Bedard, yet he does have 13 points. He also lists a 5.6 shooting percentage, so clearly some more puck luck should be coming. Or perhaps Cooley will just keep racking up assists thanks to skating next to Keller and Schmaltz. Keller potted 37 goals last year and is currently at eight while firing 70 shots on net. Schmaltz has been a 20-goal achiever in each of the last two seasons, even though he only played 63 games both times. He's at six while contributing 11 assists.
Red Wings at Canadiens
Andrew Copp (C - $4,400), David Perron (W - $5,000), Daniel Sprong (W - $5,000)
The Canadiens have a 3.48 GAA and have given up 34.0 shots. And they're bottom-eight on the penalty kill. That's why I went with this line. While these three make up Detroit's third line, they all get power-play minutes and Perron is on the first unit.
Copp has notched three points from his last two games. His power-play time has been up and down, though he's averaged 2:38 during that stretch. Perron's man-advantage role is simpler as he accumulated 22 points there last year and sits at seven so far. Sprong tallied 21 goals with the Kraken last season and is up to 14 points in Detroit. He's also been active of late with six points and 23 shots across eight outings.
DEFENSEMEN
Shayne Gostisbehere, DET at MON ($6,500): I talked about Montreal's poor penalty kill earlier, and Gostisbehere will be happy to hear that. After all, he's averaged 3:57 with the extra man where he's produced 10 points. Gostisbehere tends to score in bunches with his last 12 points coming across four games, though this is a favorable matchup.
Devon Toews, COL at ANA ($6,000): Could somebody on the Colorado blueline step up to provide secondary scoring behind Cale Makar? Toews would be the obvious candidate having recorded consecutive 50-point campaigns. He's at 12 points, but only one in his last five games. Maybe facing the Ducks is the matchup he needs as they've posted a 3.52 GAA, which is the highest of any of the 18 teams on this slate.
Brent Burns, CAR vs. BUF ($5,400): Maybe Burns has taken a step back at 38, or maybe we've grown to expect too much of him. After all, he's at five goals and five assists with 56 shots. Most defensemen would happily take that. The Sabres enter with a 3.35 GAA, but I question their goaltending. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has emerged as the top goalie, yet he's recorded a career .899 save percentage.
