This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
With your springing forward all set (if I just reminded you, you're welcome), it's time to focus on Sunday's NHL action. There are four games included on the slate for DFS purposes. The first puck drops at 6 p.m. ET. Let's end the weekend on a high note! Spring is right around the corner! Here are my lineup recommendations.
SLATE PREVIEW
Four of the five games feature a team on the second leg of a back-to-back. The Rangers face the Blue Jackets, but they get to be at home, and they also benefit from the fact they played at 12:30 p.m. ET on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Islanders benefit from the fact they were playing the duo of the Sharks and Ducks, neither of which is a terribly threatening matchup. Finally, the Kings visit the Golden Knights, and the Stars visit the Canucks. I don't have any silver linings for you there!
GOALIES
Lukas Dostal, ANA vs. NYI ($7,400): The Islanders are a bit better than the Ducks offensively, but with Mathew Barzal hurt and Brock Nelson in Colorado, they still could easily end up in the bottom five in goals per game right alongside their Sunday opponent. Now those shorthanded Islanders are playing on the road on the second night of a back-to-back. Dostal has played like he did early this season again recently. Over his last 11 games he has a .919 save percentage.
Kevin Lankinen, VAN vs. DAL ($7,200): At this salary, I'd take a shot on Lankinen. The Stars are a really good team with a strong offense, but they did play in Edmonton on Saturday. Beyond that, Dallas had a rough go of it against the Oilers. Over his last nine starts, Lankinen has a 2.14 GAA and .919 save percentage. Adding all that up, including the salary outlay, I'd risk rostering a goalie facing the Stars.
VALUE PLAY
Adam Fantilli, CLM at NYR ($6,500): Like a lot of 18-year-olds who head right to the NHL, Fantilli struggled last season. He's looked much more comfortable in the NHL here in his sophomore campaign. The Hobey Baker winner has 15 points and 44 shots on net over his last 15 games. New York is in the bottom five in shots on net allowed per game, and Jonathan Quick is in line to start. He has a 2.92 GAA and .903 save percentage this season.
FORWARD LINE STACK
Ducks vs. Islanders
Leo Carlsson (C - $4,900), Trevor Zegras (W - $5,300), Alex Killorn (W - $4,600)
The Islanders, who as I have mentioned are on the road for the second game of a back-to-back, have a bottom-five penalty kill. Anaheim doesn't have the most-impressive power play, but two of these guys are on the top unit, while the other is on the second unit. Plus, owing to New York's goaltending injuries, Jakub Skarek may make his second-career NHL start. The first time around, on Groundhog Day, Skarek allowed five goals on 32 shots against the Panthers.
Carlsson, like Fantilli, is in his second season and began the campaign still a teenager. While Carlsson hasn't been as good as his Columbus counterpart, he's looked better recently. The Swede has 11 points in his last 11 games. Few players have fallen off the map as quickly as Zegras. He's still only 23, though, and the Ducks are playing him on the top power-play unit. Zegras does have seven points in his last 12 contests as well. Killorn is the one of these three on the second power-play group, but he has two goals in his last three games. On the year he has 13 goals to go with 13 assists.
DEFENSEMEN
Noah Hanifin, VGK vs. LOS ($5,400): With Shea Theodore out, Hanifin has thrived. He has nine points in his last eight games, including four on the power play. The former Flame has also put 15 shots on target over his last four contests. While Los Angeles has a strong defense, and a tough penalty kill, they are on the second day of a back-to-back. Plus, they catch David Rittich in goal. Though he has a 2.66 GAA thanks to the Kings' defense, the netminder has an .887 save percentage.
Dante Fabbro, CLM at NYR ($4,400): If you can fit Zach Werenski into your roster at his salary, by all means go for it. Should that prove tricky, consider his defensive partner in Fabbro. Since joining the Blue Jackets from the Predators, he's averaged 21:53 per game in ice time. The defenseman has 14 points in 43 games, but has also blocked 103 shots. While Fabbro isn't as likely as Werenski to take advantage of the Rangers' defense that ranks in the bottom five in shots on net per game, or Quick's .903 save percentage, there is a lot of upside in terms of bang for your buck.
