This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
The weather is warming up, but the NHL playoffs still have a long way to go. But if the Jets don't win Sunday, they likely won't be sticking around much longer. In addition to the Jets and the Canadiens moving their series to Montreal, we have Colorado and Vegas squaring off again. The first game is at 6:00 p.m. EDT, so get your lineups in by then.
GOALIE
Connor Hellebuyck, WPG at MON ($7,500): Hellebuyck only allowed one goal in Game 2, but still took a loss since his team got blanked. He's only played in six playoff games, but has produced a 1.87 GAA and .940 save percentage. I don't expect the Jets to get swept, and the Canadiens did rank 17th in goals per game this season. As long as Hellebuyck can get a little offensive support, he should be just fine.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Pierre-Luc Dubois, WPG at MON ($5,000): With Mark Scheifele suspended for his hit on Jake Evans, Dubois was moved from the wing on the second line to center the first line. That means getting to play alongside Kyle Connor and Blake Wheeler. While Dubois didn't do much in Game 2, he also played 20:09 and got first-unit power-play time. He's in a better position than usual, and that gives him upside at his usual salary.
Brandon Saad, COL at VGK ($4,700): Saad's five-game goal streak ended in Game 3, but that isn't surprising since he's not typically a "score a goal in five straight games" kind of player. He's been skating on Colorado's second line recently and has produced 15 goals in 44 games this season. Vegas won the Jennings Trophy this year, but only four teams are playing Sunday. And with Carey Price looking better in the playoffs, none of the matchups are particularly exciting.
LINE STACK TO CONSIDER
Avalanche at Golden Knights: Nathan MacKinnon (C - $8,700), Mikko Rantanen (W - $8,100), Gabriel Landeskog (W - $7,400)
Yes, a stack like this is going to take a lot of salary. Sometimes at this point in the postseason, you just need to bank on stars who are matchup-proof and fill in the rest of your roster around them the best you can. There's no better line in hockey than Colorado's top group, and this trio is basically unstoppable.
For starters, MacKinnon (67.1), Rantanen (66.2), and Landeskog (65.4) rank first, second, and third in percentage of shifts in the offensive zone. They also each played over four minutes per game with the extra man this year. These are extremely talented players who also get maximum opportunities. MacKinnon already has four multi-point games in the playoffs and has put a whopping 31 shots on net. Rantanen is on a nine-game point streak. Landeskog also has at least one point in eight of his last nine contests. It's as close to a lock as possible that these three will register at least one point today.
DEFENSE
Neal Pionk, WPG at MON ($4,700): Pionk's numbers dipped a bit from last season when he accumulated 45 points, including 25 on the power play. Even so, he still recorded 32 points - including 10 with the extra man - over 54 games. The Canadiens had the 23rd-ranked penalty kill this season, so power-play time could pay off for Pionk.
Nicolas Hague, VGK vs. COL ($3,700): I recommended stacking Colorado's top line, so you may need to save salary elsewhere. On that front, consider Hague. While the defender potted five goals on 78 shots this season, he also started 60.7 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone - most on the Golden Knights. Hague is coming off a game with an assist, three shots on goal, and a blocked shot. Maybe he can replicate that and help your lineup.
