This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Panthers and Golden Knights is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday. The Golden Knights lead the series 3-1 and are favored to win the Stanley Cup on home ice Tuesday, so this could be the final NHL DFS contest of the 2022-23 campaign. All game lines and odds used below are pulled from DraftKings Sportsbook.
SLATE PREVIEW
With only one game on the schedule Tuesday, this will be a DraftKings Showdown contest. Your lineup will consist of one Captain that scores 1.5 times as many fantasy points and costs 1.5 times as much, in addition to five flex plays. The salary cap is $50,000. There are no positional requirements for your lineup, but the breakdown below will be organized by position.
GOALIES
Adin Hill, VGK vs. FLA ($10,400): Hill took over when Laurent Brossoit (lower body) got hurt in the second round, and the replacement netminder has been on a roll ever since. Overall, Hill's 10-4 with a 2.11 GAA and .934 save percentage this postseason. He has allowed more than three goals only once in his last 12 starts, and Hill's high floor should make him worth paying up for.
Sergei Bobrovsky, FLA at VGK ($10,200): Bobrovsky's a much riskier option than Hill and hasn't played up to his lofty valuation in this series, though he's certainly a contender for your Captain slot if you're going with an against-the-grain lineup heavy on Panthers. After a tremendous streak of eight consecutive starts allowing two or fewer goals, Bobrovsky has come crashing back down to earth, surrendering at least three goals in four of his last five outings.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
William Karlsson, VGK vs. FLA ($6,200): Karlsson's tremendous postseason has flown under the radar, but his goal in Game 4 was his 11th of the playoffs. That total trails only the 13 of Jonathan Marchessault and Leon Draisaitl, but Karlsson remains far more affordable than other players who have enjoyed similar offensive success this postseason. It's fitting that Marchessault and Karlsson, who were instrumental in Vegas' surprising run to the 2018 Stanley Cup Final in the team's inaugural season, have led the team back to this point five years later.
Aleksander Barkov, FLA at VGK ($8,400): Matthew Tkachuk ($10,600) will certainly do all he can to play, but he was hampered by an injury in the third period of Game 4 and thus likely won't be at full effectiveness even if he suits up. With Tkachuk potentially limited, Florida's other star forward will likely have to step up to keep the team's season alive. Barkov had a goal, an assist and six shots in Game 4, and he's more than capable of a repeat performance here considering Barkov has racked up at least 78 points in four of the past six regular seasons.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Golden Knights vs. Panthers
Jack Eichel (C - $9,400), Jonathan Marchessault (W - $9,600), Ivan Barbashev (W - $4,600)
Marchessault is the favorite to take home the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the playoffs, as he's tied for the league lead in both goals (13) and points (24) this postseason. He also leads all skaters this postseason with 74 shots on goal. Eichel is just one point and seven shots back of Marchessault's totals, and the top-line center led the Golden Knights in points during the regular season with 66 in 67 games. Barbashev has provided excellent value on the top line throughout the playoffs, as he's contributed a 6-11-17 line in 21 games.
Panthers at Golden Knights
Anton Lundell (C - $5,000), Sam Reinhart (W - $7,200), Ryan Lomberg (W - $2,000)
Vegas' 3-1 edge in this series is due in large part to the Golden Knights' superior secondary scoring, but perhaps Florida's third line will be able to provide some as well with the team's back against the wall. Reinhart has scored some huge goals this postseason, as he's tied with Carter Verhaeghe ($7,800) for third on the team with seven tallies. Lundell has 10 points in 20 playoff games despite an unlucky 4.9 shooting percentage, and he's scored a point in three of the four games in this series. Lomberg has just one goal in 12 playoff games, but locking him in at the minimum $2,000 valuation can allow you to maximize spending elsewhere.
DEFENSEMEN
Brandon Montour, FLA at VGK ($8,600): Montour's eight goals are second on the Panthers this postseason behind Tkachuk's 11, and his 72 shots are the most on the team, trailing only Marchessault among all playoff performers. The defenseman's on a two-game goal streak, and while his offensive numbers rival those of the top forwards, Montour also chips in defensively, having blocked eight shots over the past five games.
Alec Martinez, VGK at DAL ($5,400): Martinez isn't flashy, but his well-rounded contributions add up, and he's been providing excellent value while skating on the top pairing alongside Alex Pietrangelo ($7,400). The veteran blueliner has blocked at least three shots in four of the past six games, and Martinez has also chipped in a goal and an assist over that span while scoring at least 9.7 fantasy points in four of those six contests.
