This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
I hope you enjoyed the start of the NHL playoffs and found some DFS success, but now it's time to turn our attention to Sunday. Three more series will drop the puck for Game 1, with the first starting at 3 p.m. EDT. That early start hopefully won't have you fighting against the clock to get your DFS lineups in. Here are my lineup recommendations to help you end your weekend on a high note.
SLATE PREVIEW
Concerns about back-to-backs and backup netminders getting starts largely go out the window during the playoffs. Even the goalie-rotation-heavy Hurricanes confirmed Frederik Andersen as their Game 1 starter in advance. There are also not really any significant contributors whose status for Sunday is on the fence.
GOALIE
Adin Hill, VGK vs. MIN ($7,900): Hill didn't appear in the last couple of games, but that was likely cautionary as he was playing some of his best hockey down the stretch with a 2.05 GAA and .916 save percentage over 12 outings. The Wild averaged 2.74 goals, which is the lowest among postseason clubs. While I will grant you Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek missed much of the season, the Devils - who are the next-lowest-scoring playoff team - still managed an average of 2.93.
VALUE PLAY
Shane Pinto, OTT at TOR ($5,500): I'm not presuming the Leafs will crumble under the postseason pressure, though there is reason to roster Pinto anyway with seven points from his last eight games with 21 goals on the season. He also managed 127 shots across 70 appearances. Toronto allowed 29.3 shots per matchup, which was ninth-highest in the NHL. That means Pinto should have opportunities to stay hot.
FORWARD LINE STACK
Golden Knights vs. Wild
Jack Eichel (C - $8,000), Mark Stone (W - $6,700), Ivan Barbashev (W - $5,600)
Part of my reason for recommending Pinto was also knowing I'd be offering a high-salary stack. Eichel and Stone participate on the top power play. The Wild struggled to the 30th-ranked penalty kill this season. They also happened to concede the most shots on goal of any playoff side. Given the matchup here in Game 1 - which is of course happening in Vegas - this line is worth the outlay.
While some key Golden Knights sat out the season finale, Eichel played as he had missed four games with an upper-body injury. He logged 21:28 and scored a goal, so he seems fine. Eichel also tallied 34 power-play points overall. As per usual, Stone missed time while a point-a-game player when healthy with 67 points across 66 appearances - including 25 with the extra man. Barbashev is no slouch himself having found the scoresheet in four of his last five. He also didn't require man-advantage minutes to register his first 20-goal, 50-point campaign with Vegas.
DEFENSEMAN
Jake McCabe, TOR vs. OTT ($4,800): After missing the end of the regular season, McCabe is primed to make his return in Game 1. Count on him to get over 20 minutes on Sunday, and he might even contribute offensively having posted six points during the seven games before getting injured. McCabe also blocked 135 shots on the year. Though Linus Ullmark's arrival did help the Sens make the push into the playoffs, he ended his regular season with a .901 save percentage from his last 10 outings.
