This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Tuesday's normally a busy day on the NHL calendar, but this one's an exception, as there are only two games scheduled after 7:00 p.m. EST. Below, you'll find a breakdown of the action and suggested options for crafting an effective DraftKings DFS lineup. All game lines and odds used below are pulled from DraftKings Sportsbook.
SLATE PREVIEW
Both games are viewed as toss-ups. First, the Sabres will travel to Montreal for a game with an over/under of 6.5 goals. Buffalo's hoping to snap an eight-game losing streak. Later, the Kings host the Rangers in a matchup with an over/under of 6.0 goals.
GOALIES
Igor Shesterkin, NYR at LA ($8,000): Shesterkin's starting to play like the best goalie in the world again, going 3-0-1 in his last four starts while allowing only seven goals. Overall, the 2022 Vezina Trophy winner and betting favorite for the award this season is 9-2-3 with a 2.34 GAA and .917 save percentage. This is the front end of a back-to-back for New York, so check back before puck drop to make sure Shesterkin's in net over winless backup Jaroslav Halak.
Jake Allen, MON vs. BUF ($7,800): Allen's floor remains low on a Montreal team that just doesn't have it some nights, but he's generally looked competent enough en route to a 6-6-0 record, though a few clunkers have led to an ugly 3.33 GAA and .898 save percentage. If there was ever a time to use Allen in fantasy, it's hard to think of a better one than a home game against a Sabres team that's dropped eight straight, all in regulation.
Jonathan Quick, LA vs. NYR ($7,600): Both members of the Kings' goalie rotation have sub-.900 save percentages, as Quick sits at .892 while Cal Petersen ($7,600) is down at .880. The Rangers have made plenty of mediocre opposing goalies look good this season, though, as New York's averaging the fifth-most shots (34.6) but the 12th-fewest goals (2.95).
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Mika Zibanejad, NYR at LA ($8,100): Zibanejad's producing at an elite level, as he's tied for fourth league-wide with 85 shots on goal in addition to being on pace for more than 40 goals and 90 points. His seven power-play goals are tied for the league lead, and Zibanejad will have a nice opportunity to add to that total against a 74.3 percent Kings penalty kill, which is sixth-worst in the NHL.
Phillip Danault, LA vs. NYR ($4,800): Danault is known for his shutdown defensive abilities, but the well-rounded center is no slouch in the offensive zone. He posted a 27-24-51 line in his first year with the Kings last season, and Danault has chipped in a 6-9-15 line through 21 games this year, including a 2-5-7 output over his past six outings.
Brendan Gallagher, MON vs. BUF ($3,700): Gallagher's a two-time 30-goal scorer, and he's starting to rediscover his top form after being limited by injuries the past couple seasons. The feisty winger has chipped in a 1-4-5 line over the past six games while mustering five shots on goal on two separate occasions over that stretch. Skating in a top-six role, Gallagher's poised to keep rolling against a slumping Sabres team that's giving up 3.67 goals per game — fourth-most in the league.
Casey Mittelstadt, BUF at MON ($3,200): Mittelstadt has been a solid source of secondary scoring for the Sabres. The 2017 first-round pick has a 5-6-11 line through 18 games, and four of those five goals have come in the past seven games.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Rangers at Kings
Vincent Trocheck (C - $5,800), Artemi Panarin (W - $6,500), Barclay Goodrow (W - $2,900)
With the Kings likely to use their top defenders against the Zibanejad line, Panarin's line should feast. Panarin leads the team with 22 points through 19 games. He's above a point per game for a sixth consecutive season and is on pace to top 90 points for the third time in four years with the Rangers. Trocheck has fit in nicely alongside Panarin, both at even strength and on the top power-play unit. The offseason signing has a 6-7-13 line, with four of the goals coming on the man advantage. Goodrow's a nice value play while skating in the top six, and he's chipped in a 2-3-5 line in his last five games.
Canadiens vs. Sabres
Nick Suzuki (C - $6,500), Cole Caufield (W - $7,100), Kirby Dach (W - $4,000)
This top line provides most of the offense for Montreal, and offense shouldn't be hard to come by against a Buffalo team that's been outscored 38-19 during its eight-game skid. Suzuki and Caufield share the team lead with 11 goals apiece through 18 games, and the former has 23 points while the latter has chipped in 18. Dach ranks third on the team with 16 points, 13 of which have come in the past 10 games.
Sabres at Canadiens
Tage Thompson (C - $8,300), Alex Tuch (W - $5,600), Jeff Skinner (W - $5,000)
Buffalo's losing streak can be traced to poor defense and a lack of secondary scoring, but the top line has continued to roll. Thompson has an 11-8-19 line in his last 11 games and is producing like a superstar. Tuch comes in riding a three-game point streak (2-3-5) and Skinner's averaging a point per game in his last 12 with a 5-7-12 output. Perhaps facing a Montreal team that's allowing 3.50 goals per game will help the Sabres get off the schneid.
DEFENSEMEN
Rasmus Dahlin, BUF at MON ($8,000): Dahlin's another player that has remained productive despite Buffalo's recent struggles. His current three-game point streak has Dahlin up to 20 points in 17 games, which ranks third league-wide among defensemen. He's also second in goals (seven) and fifth in shots (64) despite having dressed for a couple fewer games than the other players near the top of those leaderboards.
Adam Fox, NYR at LA ($6,700): Fox is one of two blueliners that has outscored Dahlin, posting a 6-15-21 line through 19 games, including a 4-8-12 output during his current eight-game point streak. Fox's spot on the top power-play unit should help him capitalize on the Kings' vulnerable penalty kill, but he's also a scoring threat at even strength against a Los Angeles team that's allowing 3.38 goals per game overall.
Mike Matheson, MON vs. BUF ($4,500): An abdominal injury delayed Matheson's Montreal debut, but the offseason acquisition quickly made up for lost time by lighting the lamp Saturday in his first game with the Canadiens. He also chipped in three shots and two blocked shots, showing off a well-rounded skill set that could help Matheson outperform his $4,500 valuation in his second appearance of the season.
Alexander Edler, LA vs. NYR ($2,800): Edler opened the season on a lengthy point drought, but he's found his groove recently, dishing out an assist in four of the past five games. At just $300 above the minimum, the veteran blueliner's a nice value play given his recent form.
