I got to watch the Lions win on Thursday, so I can fully focus on Sunday's NHL slate with seven games on the DFS docket starting at 5 p.m. EST or later. Let's end the weekend on a high note. Here are my lineup recommendations.
SLATE PREVIEW
Like most Sundays, several teams are on the second leg of a back-to-back. The Panthers and Islanders along with the Blues and Canadiens play each other. While the Rangers face a rested Golden Knights team, they get to be at home for both and started early on Saturday. Carolina will be hosting San Jose, the Blue Jackets visit the Capitals, and the Blackhawks continue their California adventure against the Ducks.
GOALIES
Frederik Andersen, CAR vs. SAN ($8,100): Andersen is having a down year, but we know what he can do in terms of wins and goals allowed based upon the Hurricanes' traditional ability to prevent shots as they're comfortably in the top-5 and ready to try finishing first again. The Sharks have actually only managed 24.1 shots per game. Even though Carolina skated Saturday and their opponents didn't, Andersen shouldn't be too busy and a home victory is definitely possible.
Logan Thompson, WAS vs. CLM ($8,000): Thompson is in line to start Sunday and comes in with a 1.57 GAA and .942 save percentage over his last five starts with an overall 2.09/.919 line. Washington is at home and Columbus is on the road for the second straight day. And while the Blue Jackets aren't bad offensively, they're just below-average in producing goals.
VALUE PLAYS
Mark Stone, VGK at NYR ($7,900): To be fair, Stone has plenty of experience returning from injury. That being said, he's registered a point in each of his five games since coming back with 10 on the power play through 11 outings. The Rangers played Saturday and their penalty kill is on the fringes of the bottom-10. There are also concerns regarding Jonathan Quick as he's posted a .944 save percentage, but that's from only six appearances while he's also been on IR. The future Hall of Famer is 39 and listed an .893 last year.
Nick Suzuki, MON vs. STL ($7,100): Suzuki may have been in action on Saturday, but so were the Blues. He's also been on fire during the last 10 games having racked up 11 points, including six with the extra man. Both teams have been subpar defensively and are both bottom-8 in GAA and penalty-kill percentage. Feel free to consider some St. Louis selections, though I like Suzuki at home with a chance to face Jordan Binnington.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Capitals vs. Blue Jackets
Dylan Strome (C - $5,900), Alex Ovechkin (W - $7,100), Anthony Beauvillier (W - $4,100)
The Blue Jackets seem primed to once again finish bottom-5 in shots allowed with a defense that isn't likely to be stingy on the second day of a back-to-back. Jet Greaves is better than Saturday's starter Elvis Merzlikins, yet has cooled off after a hot start having recorded an .891 save percentage from his last 10 starts. That won't worry the Caps' top line.
Strome has been productive, but also perhaps a bit unlucky with a 14.3 shooting percentage after a 16.9 average the last four seasons. He's also supplied six power-play points while notching at least 21 during each of his campaigns with the club. Ovechkin has now cruised past 900 goals, which seems to have lifted a burden as he's tallied two points in three of his last four matchups to give him 29 through 29. And he's only managed two PPGs, a number that should significantly increase. Beauvillier is getting to skate with Strome and Ovechkin for now and has posted four points across six appearances with multiple shots four times.
Panthers vs. Islanders
Anton Lundell (C - $6,000), Sam Reinhart (W - $7,200), Eetu Luostarinen (W - $4,800)
The Panthers get to be at home for both legs of the back-to-back and played at 3:30 p.m. EST on Saturday. The Isles only had to travel from Tampa, though were in action during the evening. David Rittich does have a 2.61 GAA, but a .901 save percentage. Given that he's 33 with a career .904, I don't have high expectations. As such, I'll suggest stacking the Panthers' newly-reunited first unit.
Playing a bigger role with tougher matchups and more time on the power play, Lundell's plus/minus has fallen. Of course, the flipside is the uptick in his production as he's recorded 21 points - seven with the extra man - and 59 shots. Reinhart is headed for his fifth consecutive 30-goal campaign as he's already at 14. He's also logging the most power-play minutes of his career. Luostarinen is back after suffering what is, to my knowledge, the NHL's first freak BBQ accident. He had 10 points in 18 games prior to that injury and picked up an assist on Saturday.
DEFENSEMEN
Shea Theodore, VGK at NYR ($5,900): Vegas has moved to a five-forward unit on their lead man-advantage, yet that hasn't slowed down Theodore as he's produced 12 points and 39 shots over his last 13 games. He won't see much of the Rangers' below-average penalty kill, but should get a lot of minutes against a team on the second day of a back-to-back.
Olen Zellweger, ANA vs. CHI ($4,800): Jackson LaCombe has started to emerge as the Ducks' No. 1 blueliner, though Zellweger is primed to be a stellar second choice having tallied six points and 21 shots in his last 10 matchups that has him at five goals and six assists on the season. Chicago is bottom-10 in shots and will be on the road for a second straight night.
