DraftKings NHL: Tuesday Breakdown

DraftKings NHL: Tuesday Breakdown

This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.

Tuesday's two-game NHL slate begins at 7:00 p.m. EDT and features Game 2s from the Bruins-Lightning and Canucks-Golden Knights series. Below, you'll find an overview of the matchups and suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.

SLATE PREVIEW

Boston raced out to a 3-0 lead in Game 1, then held off Tampa Bay's comeback attempt to come away with a 3-2 win. Meanwhile, Vegas cruised to a 5-0 Game 1 victory as Vancouver had a letdown performance two days after wrapping up an emotional six-game victory over the Blues.

GOALIES

Jaroslav Halak ($7,700) is now 4-0 since Tuukka Rask opted out, with 103 saves on 110 shots (.936 save percentage). Meanwhile, the Lightning continue to miss Steven Stamkos (lower body) and have scored more than three goals only once in nine games this postseason.

Robin Lehner ($8,200) wasn't distracted by the antics coming from Marc-Andre Fleury's camp prior to Game 1, as the trade deadline acquisition further solidified his spot as Vegas' starting goalie with a 26-save shutout. While the Canucks will likely make things more difficult for Lehner in Game 2, his 6-1-0 record, 2.10 GAA and .918 save percentage this postseason suggest he'll be up to the task.

Jacob Markstrom ($7,500) remains an enticing against-the-grain option despite being pulled in Game 1 after allowing five goals on 34 shots. While that performance showcased the Swede's low floor given the inconsistent defense in front of him, Markstrom's still enjoying a strong postseason, with a 7-4-0 record, 2.70 GAA and .922 save percentage.

VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS

David Krejci ($4,600) has a seven-game point streak going, during which he has delivered a 3-7-10 line. Until he gets held off the scoresheet, the affordable Bruins center should continue to earn a spot in your lineup.

Brayden Point ($6,500) has been Tampa Bay's best player this postseason, as his helper in Game 1 gave him a 5-6-11 line in nine games. The first-line center is $1,300 cheaper than linemate Nikita Kucherov, who has just a 2-7-9 line during this playoff run.

Alex Tuch ($3,900) is a nice value play on the wing. The Vegas power forward recorded a goal and an assist in Game 1, bringing his postseason line to 5-2-7 in nine games. Tuch had a down year due to some injury issues, but he looks healthy now and has rediscovered the form that helped him post a 20-32-52 line over 74 games in 2018-19.

FORWARD LINE STACKS

Bruins at Lightning

Patrice Bergeron (C - $7,200), David Pastrnak (W - $7,600), Brad Marchand (W - $6,700)

This line finally looked to be cranking on all cylinders in Game 1, which is bad news for the rest of the league. Its three members combined for a 2-3-5 line and 11 shots, finding the form that allowed Bergeron, Pastrnak and Marchand to combine for a 107-131-238 line in the regular season. If you have to pick only one of the three due to cap constraints, Marchand's having the best postseason with a 4-5-9 line in nine games.

Golden Knights vs. Canucks

William Karlsson (C - $5,600), Max Pacioretty (W - $6,500), Mark Stone (W - $6,200)

Like Boston's top line, this trio also dominated in a Game 1 victory, combining for a 2-2-4 line and 12 shots. After a slow start to the postseason, Pacioretty has erased any lingering doubts about his health with a 2-1-3 line and 10 shots over his last two games. Stone scored 63 points in 65 regular season games and has taken his game up a notch in the playoffs with a 5-5-10 line in nine games, while Karlsson has chipped in a 2-5-7 line.

Canucks at Golden Knights

Jay Beagle (C - $2,500), Tyler Motte (W - $2,700), Jake Virtanen (W - $3,100)

If you're saving up for some of this slate's expensive stars, Vancouver's affordable fourth line offers some enticing value plays to help preserve cap space. Motte led the Canucks over St. Louis with four goals over the final two games of that series, and he was rewarded with over 16 minutes of ice time in Game 1 against Vegas. Virtanen has had a quiet postseason, but he's affordable for a guy that posted an 18-18-36 line 69 regular season games. Beagle's the least exciting option on this line, though the veteran pivot brings 96 games of playoff experience and stepped up with a goal and an assist to close out St. Louis.

DEFENSEMEN

The silver lining from Tampa Bay's Game 1 loss was the breakout performance from Victor Hedman ($5,400). The standout blueliner was quiet in the first round against the Blue Jackets but found his form with a pair of third-period goals on seven shots.

Alexander Edler ($5,100) was the most engaged Canucks skater as the team sleepwalked through a Game 1 loss, racking up team highs in both shots (five) and blocks (four). The veteran defenseman's well-rounded skill set gives him a high floor, and he's still capable of chipping in offensively, as evidenced by his 5-28-33 line in 59 regular season appearances.

Nate Schmidt ($4,200) has consistently gotten involved in the offense for Vegas over the past four games, totaling three assists and 18 shots over that span while chipping in eight blocks for good measure. He could rival the production of this slate's top blueliners at a considerably lower valuation.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Sasha Yodashkin plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: Youngsash, DraftKings: Yashdogg,Yahoo: Sasha, Fanball: Yashdogg.
RotoWire Community
Join Our Subscriber-Only NHL Chat
Chat with our writers and other RotoWire NHL fans for all the pre-game info and in-game banter.
Join The Discussion
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sasha Yodashkin
Sasha has been contributing NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB and Tennis content to RotoWire since 2015, with an emphasis on DFS. He is a huge New York sports fan who has been playing fantasy sports since middle school.
Frozen Fantasy: Is the Chase Back On?
Frozen Fantasy: Is the Chase Back On?
The Week Ahead: Fowler to St. Louis
The Week Ahead: Fowler to St. Louis
NHL DFS Picks: FanDuel Plays and Strategy for Sunday, December 15
NHL DFS Picks: FanDuel Plays and Strategy for Sunday, December 15
NHL Best Bets Today: Expert Picks for Sunday, December 15
NHL Best Bets Today: Expert Picks for Sunday, December 15
NHL DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Sunday, December 15
NHL DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Sunday, December 15
NHL Best Bets Today: Expert Picks for Saturday, December 14
NHL Best Bets Today: Expert Picks for Saturday, December 14