This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
Sunday kicks off March with some matinee hockey with a six-game slate and the first one starting at 1 p.m. EST. Let's start the month and end the weekend on a high note. Here are my NHL DFS lineup recommendations.
SLATE PREVIEW
Saturday was packed, so all six Sunday matchups feature teams on the second day of a back-to-back, though none of them involve both clubs. The Penguins, Blackhawks, Sharks, Blues, Islanders, and Flames played on Saturday. In terms of concern, San Jose is in the best position as they get to be at home for both while facing a bottom-10 Winnipeg offense.
GOALIES
Filip Gustavsson, MIN vs. STL ($8,000): Jesper Wallstedt started Friday, so I'm assuming it'll be Gustavsson's turn on Sunday. In four seasons with Minnesota, he's posted a 2.59 GAA and .913 save percentage and that's fairly reflective of his performance this year. The Blues are bottom-six in goals and shots and also played Saturday.
Sergei Bobrovsky, FLA at NYI ($7,400): Bobrovsky looked stellar in Florida's first game back from the break as he made 29 saves on 30 shots against the Leafs. That has been far from the norm for him this season, yet he holds about as much of a track record for suddenly locking in as any modern netminder. The Islanders have the great Matthew Schaefer, but this is still a team just trying to avoid finishing in the bottom-10 for goals. And they're also on the second day of a back-to-back - even if they are at home.
VALUE PLAY
Mats Zuccarello, MIN vs. STL ($5,500): Zuccarello has a role with the Wild, and it's to deliver points on the power play. It's also something he's been doing rather well with nine PPPs from his last 15 games while averaging 3:48 on that unit. The Blues sit bottom-four for both GAA and penalty-kill percentage, which is right up Zuccarello's alley.
FORWARD LINE STACK
Mammoth vs. Blackhawks
Barrett Hayton (C - $4,600), JJ Peterka (W - $5,000), Kailer Yamamoto (W - $3,900)
The Blackhawks are on the road for the second straight day. They also boast the league's best penalty kill, which wasn't something anybody expected to see by this point of the season. With Arvid Soderblom in line to start for Chicago, said shorthanded unit may not be as imposing as usual. However, I still opted for a line that doesn't really factor into Utah's man-advantage strategy. The Blackhawks are also bottom-10 in shots allowed while Soderblom has struggled a 3.89 GAA and .874 save percentage.
Hayton's capacity to live up to being a top-five pick has wildly fluctuated wildly, though he's delivered as of late by recording 10 points and 40 shots across 14 appearances. Peterka is well-suited for this matchup as he's already notched his third consecutive 20-goal campaign while only three of his 38 points coming on the power play. Yamamoto's never really clicked as an NHLer, but he's had his moments and is currently on a stretch where he's produced eight points through his last nine outings.
DEFENSEMEN
Sean Durzi, UTA vs. CHI ($5,100): Durzi has registered 20 points this season, but that's in only 38 games. And only two of those were posted while up a man. That bodes well given the Blackhawks are in the running to finish bottom-10 in GAA and shots allowed alongside a top-five mark on the penalty kill.
Logan Stanley, WPG at SAN ($4,200): With Josh Morrissey and Neal Pionk both out, Stanley has taken on a new role averaging 26:53 the last two matchups with 4:26 of that quarterbacking the Jets' top power play where he's also supplied two assists and seven shots. The Sharks may be at home for both legs of their back-to-back, yet they're also bottom-four in GAA and shots allowed.
