This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
It's the busiest night on tap with 11 games, followed by five tomorrow and then an extended break from Thursday to Sunday. It's a packed schedule over a three-day period with numerous teams playing back-to-back. Teams playing the first half include the Caps, Flames, Coyotes and Kraken, while teams playing the second half include the Sens, Devils, Leafs, Canucks and Panthers. Backup goalies will be at the forefront for some of these matchups, and in particular watch for the Leafs, who were forced to pull Jack Campbell on Monday and may start Petr Mrazek even though he earned a win in a relief appearance.
GOALIES
Darcy Kuemper, COL vs. ARI ($8,700): Kuemper and Pavel Francouz have been splitting the starts recently because both of them have played very well and the Avs have been dominant at home with 18 (!) straight wins, and won both of their previous meetings against the Coyotes. The 4-3 shootout win was a close call, but the Avs dominated the second matchup, 5-0, and that's closer to what we should expect.
Andrei Vasilevskiy, TB vs. SJ ($8,500): Vasilevskiy doesn't see the Sharks very much but he's been very good against them with a .926 Sv% in seven games. The Sharks defense is very much in shambles at the moment with Erik Karlsson, Jacob Middleton and Mario Ferraro all unavailable, and it just isn't enough to stem the Lightning offense, which ranks seventh in GF/GP.
Tristan Jarry, PIT vs. WSH ($8,100): Jarry's last two starts both resulted in losses, but the Pens remain on an uptrend while the Caps have struggled since the calendar flipped. Their 5-0 win in Dallas was a step back on the right track, but the Pens are carrying more momentum at the moment, and with Evgeni Malkin on the second line and Jeff Carter on the third, they currently have more depth the Caps offense.
Semyon Varlamov, NYI vs. OTT ($7,900): Varlamov will likely get the start after Ilya Sorokin played and lost against the Wild on Sunday. The Sens are a plucky bunch but they're playing the second half of a back-to-back with travel. Varlamov's career numbers against the Sens – 4-4-2, .892 Sv%, 3.50 GAA – aren't very good, but the Isles have the better lineup and better goaltending. That should be enough to earn the win.
Robin Lehner, VGK vs. BUF ($7,800): Lehner should get the call against his former team, and despite a few rocky months to start the season, it looks like Lehner has found his groove with just seven goals allowed in his past four games, including a shutout win. The Knights should have the advantage in just about every facet of the game even with top center Chandler Stephenson potentially unavailable, and at this salary, Lehner is a very attractive choice.
Thatcher Demko, VAN at NSH ($7,300): Demko and the Canucks defense have been excellent all season at 5-on-5, and this is a matchup the Canucks have dominated in recent years, winning four of their past five meetings and scoring at least five goals in three of those games.
VALUE PLAYS
Valeri Nichushkin, COL vs. ARI ($6,400): Nichushkin is playing on the top line with Mikko Rantanen now playing center in place of the injured Nathan MacKinnon. This gives Nichushkin's fantasy value a huge boost, and already scored two points against the Sabres on Sunday.
Jared McCann, SEA at BOS ($5,800): McCann has scored a goal in three straight games and he will center the top line for the Kraken with Jordan Eberle and Marcus Johansson on the flanks. The Kraken's offense isn't particularly dangerous, but considering the mediocre performances from the B's goalies, McCann and his line are the best Kraken bets to get on the scoresheet.
Mathieu Joseph, TB vs. SJ ($4,200): Most players get a boost from playing on the power play, but Joseph gets his from playing on the penalty kill, and he's scored two shorthanded goals to show for it. He'll play on the top-six again on Steven Stamkos' line at even strength and scored three goals in his past five games.
Cole Perfetti, WPG at PHI ($4,000): Perfetti is the Jets' top prospect on offense and provides some extra spark on the top-six even though his opportunities come and go due to his usage and inconsistency. He's scored just one goal this season, but the Flyers present a very enticing matchup with their porous defense and goaltending.
Nolan Patrick, VGK vs. BUF ($3,900): This is Patrick's big opportunity. He will center the top line between Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty with Stephenson in COVID protocol, and the much-maligned second overall pick from 2017 has no excuses to underperform now. Patrick should win whatever matchup the Sabres throw at him, who are expected to start Casey Mittelstadt on their top line.
LINE STACKS
Islanders vs. Senators
Mathew Barzal (C - $6,100), Anders Lee (W - $4,900), Josh Bailey (W - $4,600)
The Isles are rightfully known as a low-scoring team but the Sens are a good matchup for their offense, especially their top line. They finished a combined minus-4 against the Wild but also accounted for 15 shots on goal; their problem was they couldn't beat Kaapo Kahkonen, and the Sens' goalies should present an easier challenge.
Stars vs. Flames
Roope Hintz (C - $7,500), Joe Pavelski (W - $8,000), Jason Robertson (W - $7,900)
The Flames are hard to play against because they're very good on the forecheck and pin teams in their own zone, but this isn't really an issue for the Stars, who have Miro Heiskanen and John Klingberg moving the puck. Their last meeting went into overtime and featured seven goals. Robertson was held without a point in that game but he's become an even better player since and ranks 18th in the league in points per game.
DEFENSEMEN
Shea Theodore, VGK vs. BUF ($6,400): Theodore offers up plenty of upside and he's scored six points in his past six games. There are a lot of defensemen available but considering the matchup, Theodore has a good chance of scoring points, and at least offers a little more upside than Alex Pietrangelo ($6,500), who has gone five games without a point.
Damon Severson, NJ vs. TOR ($5,600): Severson played 29 (!) minutes against the Leafs last night and his role continues to expand with Dougie Hamilton still on the shelf. The role Severson plays gives him plenty of opportunity to score points, especially on the power play where he played a team-high 4:11. The Leafs goaltending has become a point of worry, all of a sudden.
