FanDuel NHL: Friday Targets

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Published on January 20, 2023

SLATE PREVIEW

There are only two games on a light Friday slate with the Senators at Penguins as they finish their home-and-home series and the Avs at Canucks with the defending champs making their way across Canada.

Ottawa came out victorious against Pittsburgh in OT on Wednesday, but both clubs have struggled of late with the Sens having lost four of their last six and the Pens winless in three of four. The Vancouver's also in trouble with just two wins in eight games this year while Colorado has taken three straight and will try to avoid a (surprising) sweep by the Canucks after losing their first two meetings.

GOALIES

Alexandar Georgiev, COL at VAN ($8,400): Georgiev has recently been shaky, but looked excellent in his last start by allowing only one goal on 35 shots against the Flames. Even if he falters, the Avs can provide him with plenty of goal support against one of the league's worst defensive clubs. The Canucks have been using their backup and third-stringer since Dec. 3, where they've given up a league-second-worst 4.10 goals per game.

VALUE PLAYS

Josh Norris, OTT at PIT ($4,800): Tim Stutzle didn't relinquish his spot as the team's top center, but Norris still gets excellent wingers in Alex DeBrincat and Claude Giroux. He logged 19 minutes and registered two shots in his first action since Oct. 19, and just a little bit less ice time than Stutzle at 5-on-5. Norris is the second-line pivot and currently participates on PP2, but there's always a chance he returns to the first unit with Brady Tkachuk.

Conor Garland, VAN vs. COL ($5,000): Value plays will be hard to find with such a shallow player pool, but note Garland replaced Andrei Kuzmenko on the Canucks' top power play. It's really the only thing that has gone right for the Canucks so far this season. There's also some upside at even strength for Garland as he lines up with Bo Horvat and J.T. Miller.

LINE STACKS

Avalanche at Canucks

Mikko Rantanen (W - $10,200), Valeri Nichushkin (W - $7,300), J.T. Compher (C - $5,600)

The Canucks have one good pairing on D. And if it isn't Nathan MacKinnon's trio that's doing the scoring, it'll be Rantanen's. It's slightly better value than a MacKinnon stack – $400 to be exact – but the upside is similar since two players from each group also skate on PP1. Compher has the slight edge over Evan Rodrigues with four points in his last two games.

DEFENSEMEN

Devon Toews, COL at VAN ($6,000): An injury to Cale Makar means Toews steps in as the quarterback on an excellent power play facing a terrible penalty kill. He's notched five assists in three games and will have a lot of chances to extend that streak since a combined 28 minor penalties were called in their previous two meetings.

Ty Smith, PIT vs. OTT ($4,300): Smith should be a popular play with so few elite defensemen. He'll be the most reasonable top PP QB available, and managed to secure an assist against the Sens in their previous head-to-head after a three-game drought.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire.