This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
If you'd like to buy the pub a round of green beers come Monday, having some DFS success on Saturday would help. There are eight NHL games on the docket with start times of 7 p.m. EDT or later. Here are my NHL DFS lineup recommendations.
SLATE PREVIEW
While several teams are on the first leg of a back-to-back in ways that could impact goaltending decisions, only two teams are on the second leg of such a scenario. The Predators are in Southern California, and unfortunately for them they get the Kings Saturday. And then, the Hurricanes are visiting the Flyers.
GOALIES
Kevin Lankinen, VAN vs. CHI ($8,000): Both teams have averaged 2.71 goals per game while 31st and 32nd in average shots. However, the Blackhawks are worse on the latter having managed a paltry 24.5. And while Chicago is one of the worst teams at preventing shots, Vancouver is top-10. That means Lankinen isn't likely to be busy at home, and his defense has helped him post a 2.55 GAA this season.
Darcy Kuemper, LOS vs. NAS ($7,800): The Kings are second in shots allowed per game. Meanwhile, the Predators are bottom-five in goals and just played Friday. On top of that, Kuemper is no slouch with a .916 save percentage and 2.23 GAA.
VALUE PLAYS
Quinton Byfield, LOS vs. NAS ($5,900): Byfield has registered a goal in five straight. Can he make it six in a row? The odds are pretty good as Nashville are bottom-eight in GAA and of course will be on the road for their second game in as many days.
Pavel Buchnevich, STL at MIN ($5,800): Buchnevich has accumulated 13 points from his last 14 games with four on the power play over 10. His role on the Blues' top man-advantage is what intrigues me the most as the Wild rank 30th for penalty-kill percentage.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Panthers at Canadiens
Aleksander Barkov (C - $7,500), Sam Reinhart (W - $7,700), Carter Verhaeghe (W - $6,000)
Sam Montembeault has been tapped to start for the Habs on Saturday, and it's been business as usual for him this year with a .900 save percentage that's in line with his career .898 mark. The Panthers may be without Matthew Tkachuk, though they still boast a strong top trio.
Barkov is primed to win another Selke this season, though he's no slouch offensively as he's recorded multiple points eight times through 17 outings. Reinhart is one of the best goal scorers around, and that's not debatable at this point with 20-plus for the fourth season in a row and 57 last year. He's also tallied 174 shots overall. Verhaeghe's bad puck luck will probably keep him from reach 30 goals for the third consecutive year. His 8.5 shooting percentage is remarkably low, yet he's still managed 200 shots with 17 goals and 28 assists.
Wild vs. Blues
Marco Rossi (C - $5,900), Matt Boldy (W - $7,100), Mats Zuccarello (W - $6,200)
4 Nations heroism aside, Jordan Binnington is subpar this season with an .897 save percentage through 46 outings. St. Louis are shorthanded defensively with a bottom-five penalty kill. The Wild's first line features three players on the first power play to make for a simple stack decision.
Rossi is having a breakthrough campaign with 21 goals and 32 assists. He's also registered three power-play points over his last nine while averaging 3:03 with the extra man during that stretch. Even though Boldy has a 9.2 shooting percentage, he's produced 229 shots and 21 goals. He's also posted at least 25 PPPs during each of the last two campaigns with 17 so far. Zuccarello has produced five points in his last seven outings with 11 PPPs and 3:29 per matchup on the man-advantage.
DEFENSEMEN
Vladislav Gavrikov, LOS vs. NAS ($4,600): Who needs power-play time to produce? Gavrikov has a point in four of his last five games to give him 24 overall giving him 24 points. The Preds list an above-average penalty kill, even if they are bottom-eight in GAA. You can count on Gavrikov seeing a lot of the ice against a Predators team that skated Friday night.
K'Andre Miller, NYR at CLM ($4,500): Miller has recorded seven points from his last 15, and it's a good time for him to be in form. With Adam Fox injured, the Rangers need more minutes from Miller - including a steady role on the second PP. And he should have an opportunity to deliver on Saturday as the Blue Jackets have struggled to a 3.32 GAA with the 25th-ranked penalty kill.
