FanDuel NHL: Monday Targets

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Published on June 20, 2022

SLATE PREVIEW

The Lightning have been thoroughly outplayed in the finals so far but the series shifts back to home ice where Jon Cooper will be able to play the matchup game. However, it'll be difficult to make adjustments because the Avalanche's speed may simply be too great to overcome, and they have yet to lose on the road in the playoffs. The Lightning's only hope is to have Andrei Vasilevskiy to return to form.

GOALIES

No goalies will be available for showdown formats. Vasilevskiy (.838 Sv%, 5.45 GAA in this series) and Darcy Kuemper (.923 Sv%, 1.48 GAA) are expected to start.

VALUE PLAYS

Darren Helm, COL at TB ($6,500): Helm has made major contributions to the series so far despite being an afterthought as a bottom-six player. He's registered two points and a team-high 22 (!) hits, making him an indispensable member of an Avs forecheck that has terrorized the Lightning's defense and breakouts.

Patrick Maroon, TB vs. COL ($6,500): Given the footspeed required to keep up with the Avs, Maroon isn't an obvious pick, but it's worth noting that he hasn't looked any worse than the rest of his teammates so far, and all three of his goals in the playoffs were scored on home ice. He's playing few minutes but so far none of the more expensive and higher profile options on the Lightning have borne any fruit, either.

LINE STACKS

J.T. Compher (C - $8,500), Andre Burakovsky (W - $10,000), Mikko Rantanen (W - $14,000)

Burakovsky will be a game-time decision after suffering an apparent hand injury in Game 2, but if he plays, the Avs' second line should once again be a major force. Depth scoring was a question mark heading into the series following Nazem Kadri's injury and how little scoring Compher and Burakovsky had provided throughout the playoffs, but they've run roughshod against the lightning. There's a bonus with the exposure for Rantanen because he plays often with Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog on the top power play.

DEFENSEMEN

Cale Makar, COL at TB ($13,500): No one else comes close to Makar in this series, who has outplayed Victor Hedman, who has continued to struggle with consistency throughout the playoffs. Makar scored two goals after a very good showing in Game 1 even though he didn't register a point or a shot. In showdown formats where there are no position restrictions, Makar is the only defenseman worth taking because of his offensive contributions are akin to that of a top-line forward.

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