This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Thursday has 12 games scheduled, consisting of six 7:00 p.m. ET starts, two beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET, one getting underway at 9:00 p.m. ET and three puck drops in the 10:00-10:30 p.m. ET window. All odds and game lines used below come courtesy of the DraftKings SportsBook.
SLATE PREVIEW
Florida (vs. Montreal), Colorado (at Chicago), Toronto (vs. Arizona) and Carolina (at Columbus) are the biggest favorites on the Moneyline. Six matchups have an Over/Under set for 6.5 goals, while the Jets-Stars (6.0), Wild-Predators (6.0), Avalanche-Blackhawks (6.0), Penguins-Kraken (6.0), Ducks-Sharks (6.0) and Golden Knights-Bruins (5.5) are set below that total.
GOALIES
Pyotr Kochetkov, CAR at CLS ($8,200): Kochetkov has won five of his past seven outings, stopping 186 of 196 shots and posting two shutouts over that span. Columbus will be playing for the second time in two nights, and Kochetkov made 21 stops in a 3-2 victory over the Blue Jackets on Nov. 26.
Thatcher Demko, VAN vs. LA ($8,000): Demko has hit a bit of a rough patch recently, but has plenty of bounce-back appeal Thursday. In five career contests against the Kings, he has posted a 4-1-0 record with a 1.56 GAA and a .953 save percentage. Additionally, Los Angeles has only scored four goals in two straight losses this week.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Auston Matthews, TOR vs. ARI ($10,000): Matthews has 10 goals and 14 points over his past seven outings, which includes a two-goal performance against the Coyotes on Feb. 21. He hasn't lit the lamp in two consecutive contests heading into Thursday's action, but it won't be long before he is finding the back of the net again.
Nikita Kucherov, TB vs. BUF ($9,700): Kucherov has been held off the scoresheet once in 15 games going into Thursday's slate. He has 10 goals and 28 points over that span, including two goals and seven assists in his four-game point spree.
J.T. Miller, VAN vs LA ($7,000): Miller is riding a productive five-game point streak, compiling six goals and five assists to go along with 15 shots on target. Additionally, he has 21 points, including 16 helpers, in 20 career meetings with the Kings.
Dylan Cozens, BUF at TB ($5,100): Cozens has heated up of late, generating two goals, four assists and 13 shots on net in his past six games. He also has five points in nine career contests versus the Lightning.
Tyler Bertuzzi, TOR vs. ARI ($3,800): Bertuzzi has four goals, one assist, 12 shots and six blocked shots during a three-game point spree. He has potted two goals on the man advantage over that span.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Red Wings vs. Islanders
Dylan Larkin (C - $7,400), Alex DeBrincat (W - $5,900), Patrick Kane (W - $6,400)
Larkin has collected three goals and six points in six games. DeBrincat has four goals and four helpers over his past six outings, while Kane has five goals and nine assists over his nine-game point streak.
The top line of the Red Wings has been firing on all cylinders, and that stands a good chance of continuing Thursday versus a New York squad that sits 24th in the league in goals against per game (3.33) and 31st in shots against per contest (34.0) this campaign.
Panthers vs. Canadiens
Matthew Tkachuk (W - $7,500), Sam Bennett (C - $4,900), Nick Cousins ($2,600)
Tkachuk has accumulated five goals and 16 points across his last eight appearances. He has recorded five multi-point efforts during that stretch. Bennett has three goals and three assists in his past five outings, including one tally and one helper in two contests entering Thursday's action. Cousins has also hit the scoresheet in each of the last two games, earning one marker and one assist.
The second line of the Panthers should be able to remain hot versus a Montreal team that is tied for the fifth-most goals against per game (3.51) and ranks 29th in shots against per contest (33.4) this season.
DEFENSEMEN
Shea Theodore, VGK at BOS ($6,200): Theodore has racked up eight assists during a four-game point spree since his return to the lineup from surgery on an upper-body injury. He has two helpers on the power play, eight shots and 10 blocks over that period.
Brandon Montour, FLA vs. MON ($5,600): Montour has accounted for three goals, 10 points and 17 shots across his past five outings. He has one goal and four assists on the man advantage during that time.
