This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
We have a decent amount of back-to-back action Sunday, as Saturday had a lot of afternoon hockey as well. Interestingly, no team is on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back facing a rested team. The Oilers are in Montreal, but the Canadiens played Saturday as well. Then, the Flyers and Capitals are playing rested teams in the Kraken and the Sharks, but they are both at home.
GOALIES
Stuart Skinner, EDM at MON ($8,300): Skinner and his teammates may be on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back, but Skinner also has a .916 save percentage. That makes him stand out Sunday. It's also notable that the Canadiens have average a mere 2.58 goals per game, which is in the bottom five of the NHL.
Adin Hill, VGK vs. ANA ($8,300): Hill has to shoulder the load for Vegas for now. He may only have a .909 save percentage, but he has a 2.58 GAA. Plus, primarily, he's getting the Ducks at home. Anaheim has averaged a paltry 2.45 goals per game, last in the NHL.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Zach Hyman, EDM at MON ($8,500): You can't entirely credit Hyman's success to getting to play with guys like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Sure, that helps, but Hyman clearly needs skills in order to rack up 27 goals on 200 shots on net through 52 games, not to mention having 35 assists for good measure. Jake Allen is starting for the Canadiens on Sunday, and he has a 3.58 GAA and .891 save percentage.
Alexander Barabanov, SAN at WAS ($4,100): Barabanov has a three-game point streak, including two goals. He's up to eight goals on the season, but his 9.3 shooting percentage indicates there is more room for improvement there. The Sharks are rested, while the Capitals are on a back-to-back. Charlie Lindgren will likely be in net, and while he has a 2.67 GAA, he also has a .907 save percentage.
FORWARD LINE STACK
Kraken at Flyers
Matty Beniers (C - $5,100), Jared McCann (W - $5,300), Jordan Eberle (W - $4,800)
The Kraken also get to see a team that is not just on a back-to-back, but turning to a backup goalie with dicey numbers as well. In this case, that is Felix Sandstrom. The Swede has a 3.45 GAA and .886 save percentage. Seattle's top line is a promising rookie and two solid wingers, and it is primed to take advantage of this favorable matchup.
Beniers doesn't have a point in three games since the end of the All-Star break, but he was injured going into the break so it's understandable if he needed a little time. The rookie still has 17 goals and 19 assists in 50 games, and he had 11 points in 12 games in January. McCann's elevated shooting percentage just keeps avoiding regression to the mean. Not only does he have 24 goals in 49 games, but he has five goals in 32 shots on net over his last 11 outings. Eberle has had the inverse experience of McCann, as he has 10 goals with a career-low 9.0 shooting percentage. However, he does have 28 assists in 52 games, so combine that with the potential for better puck luck, and it looks good for the former Islander.
DEFENSEMEN
Alex Pietrangelo, VGK vs. ANA ($7,000): Pietrangelo has returned from the break with gusto, posting a goal in both games he's played in February. He's put 111 shots on net in 44 games, and now he faces a Ducks team that has allowed a league-high 39.1 shots on goal per contest. The Ducks also have a bottom-five penalty kill, and Pietrangelo has 11 points with the extra man.
Vince Dunn, SEA at PHI ($5,600): Dunn's career year continues apace. With three assists in his last two games, Dunn is now up to 39 points this season, including 10 on the power play. The Flyers have a mediocre penalty kill, but they also usually aren't on the second day of a back-to-back with Sandstrom in net. Sandstrom, as I noted, has a 3.45 GAA and .886 save percentage.
