This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
It's a six-game slate for Wednesday with some good matchups. The Maple Leafs visit the Jets (7:30 p.m. ET) in a battle for North Division supremacy, while the Flames and Canucks (10:30 p.m.) rekindle their rivalry as they chase the final playoff spot.
Being the last day of the month, this is also the last chance for the Sabres to win a game in March as they play host to the Flyers (7:30 p.m.). Can the Sabres find a way? They blew a 3-0 lead last game and lost in overtime and have not won a game since Feb. 23.
GOALIES
Philipp Grubauer, COL vs. ARI ($8,600): The Coyotes have won three straight but it's a series the Avalanche have rightfully dominated for most of the season; they've outscored the Yotes 23-13 through six meetings. A bitter shootout loss in their last meeting should still be fresh in their minds as the Avs go for their ninth win in 11 games.
Marc-Andre Fleury, VGK vs. LA ($8,400): It should be Fleury's turn after Robin Lehner was given the start in their most recent give to give him a little rest. The Kings are a feisty bunch but have just one win in five games against them this season, and their goal scoring has dried up with four goals in their past three games no thanks to a power play that's gone quiet.
Kaapo Kahkonen, MIN at SJ ($8,300): I'm a little less confident in Kahkonen than Cam Talbot, who has been the better goalie but drew the loss in their last game against the Sharks. Kahkonen has been quite good for most of the season but has not played in over a week and allowed six goals in his last start. The odds favor the Wild, who are 2-1-1 against the Sharks this season.
Thatcher Demko, VAN vs. CGY ($7,700): The Canucks are coming off a lengthy break, and perhaps it was much needed after Demko was repeatedly shelled, including two wins in which he made at least 40 saves. The Flames, meanwhile, have lost five of their past six, and though they've been tougher to score on, they also can't score themselves.
VALUE PLAYS
Andrew Copp, WPG vs. TOR ($4,300): The Leafs have been pretty good defensively all season and the Jets boast one of the best goalies in the league. When two teams with superstars clash, sometimes the emphasis is more on preventing goals than trying to outchance the other team, so the logic is that if the top two lines cancel each other out, the game will be won by depth players. Copp's been playing very well lately and shooting the puck a lot more after a quiet February. He's scored six goals and two assists in his past six games.
Nils Hoglander, VAN vs. CGY ($3,500): Not sure how the Canucks' lines will shake out with Adam Gaudette in COVID protocol, but it's a pretty safe bet that Hoglander will remain with Bo Horvat and probably Brock Boeser. Prior to their break, Hoglander was starting to get the bounces with two goals and three points in four games.
Casey Mittelstadt, BUF vs. PHI ($3,000): The silver lining is that the Sabres at least led for parts of the game even if they couldn't close it. Mittelstadt's ice time has increased significantly recently and he's slated to skate on the top line. It's more likely that Mittelstadt ends up with a bunch of zeroes across the board, but you can't beat the value at this salary given his role. He'll have Taylor Hall on his wing, which is still a good thing despite his struggles.
LINE STACKS
Flyers at Sabres
Sean Couturier (C – $7,300), Travis Konecny (W - $5,500), James van Riemsdyk (W - $5,600)
I fail to see how this line doesn't dominate the Sabres. Couturier is on a four-game point streak and it's not like he'll be facing touch competition across the ice… This should be a popular line stack for its value and matchup over a Leafs line stack.
Avalanche vs. Coyotes
Tyson Jost (C - $3,200), Valeri Nichushkin (W - $3,400), Joonas Donskoi (W - $3,400)
We're going off the board with this line stack but it's simply an alternative to an expensive Nathan MacKinnon stack or a Nazem Kadri stack, which hasn't offered up much lately. Jost's line combined for four points against the Ducks and the Coyotes are a team the Avs should dominate completely from top to bottom.
DEFENSEMEN
Cale Makar, COL vs. ARI ($5,800): Makar should be the best defenseman available based on his matchup. Shea Theodore ($6,300) might give him a good run for his money, but on a per-game basis Makar's usually the better bet; he's the only defenseman to average a point per game this season (min. 10 GP).
Ivan Provorov, PHI at BUF ($5,000): Provorov has put 19 shots on goal in his past three games, including two points against the Sabres in their most recent meeting. He plays a ton of minutes and does a little bit of everything, making him one of the safer bets but also one with very good upside.
Alec Martinez, VGK vs. LA ($4,600): He's excelled with Alex Pietrangelo out of the lineup and he's scored in two straight games with 14 blocked shots in his past three games to go with it.
