This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
It's the first Sunday of March! We have four games on the slate for the NHL this evening. First pucks drop at 7 p.m. ET. Here are a few recommendations for your DFS lineups. Let's end the first weekend of a new month on a high note.
SLATE PREVIEW
Anaheim and Vancouver are playing one another, and they are the only two teams not on the second leg of a back-to-back Sunday. The Jets, Sharks and Penguins are all on the road for the second time in as many days. Notably, Winnipeg played at 12:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, so they get a bit more rest. That's not the case for San Jose and Pittsburgh.
GOALIE
Filip Gustavsson, MIN vs. SAN ($8,400): Well, it looks like Gustavsson's performance last year, when he had a .931 save percentage, was a fluke. However, he's at home Sunday, and the Sharks are on the second leg of a back-to-back. On top of that, though, San Jose is 31st in goals per game and shots on net allowed per contest. If you're going to bet on Gustavsson ever, it would be a day like this one.
VALUE PLAY/ONE-OFF
Nikolaj Ehlers, WPG at BUF ($5,600): Ehlers has at least one point in five of his last six outings. The Sabres have gotten excellent goaltending from Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, but he started Saturday. That leaves Eric Comrie to start Sunday, and the former Jet has an .881 save percentage over the last two seasons.
FORWARD LINE STACK TO CONSIDER
Wild vs. Sharks: Marco Rossi (C - $4,100), Mats Zuccarello (W - $5,900), Marcus Johansson (W - $3,300)
Minnesota's second line has been solid, if not as productive as its top line, and this matchup is well worth targeting. The Sharks are last in GAA and shots on net allowed per contest. They also have a bottom-five penalty kill, and Zuccarello plays on the top power-play unit. The salary for this line is more manageable than the top line, and in this matchup, makes it worth taking a shot on this stack.
The rookie Rossi has 17 goals and 16 assists in 61 games. He also has four points and 23 shots on net over his last eight outings. Zuccarello has two four-point games in his last seven outings. I mentioned he is on the first power-play unit, and indeed he's been excellent, once again, with the extra man. The Norwegian wing has 28 points with the extra man in 52 contests. Johansson has three points in his last seven games. While he only has nine goals (on 89 shots on net) this year, he has two 20-goal campaigns to his name, and the Sharks are last in GAA. Now, Johansson was banged up Saturday, and if he can't go, Brandon Duhaime ($2,500) may step up a line.
DEFENSEMAN
Filip Hronek, VAN at ANA ($4,300): Hronek has averaged 23:44 per game in ice time, which has helped him tally a career-high 44 points. That's in only 62 games. The Ducks are in the bottom six in GAA, shots on goal allowed per contest, and penalty-kill percentage, so this matchup could help Hronek bolster his number in this career year.
