This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
A massive 14-game slate awaits for Thursday before the league takes a break for Good Friday. Of the 28 teams in action, only the Rangers and Lightning will be a little tired having faced each other Wednesday night.
All three teams in the race for the wild card spots in the East will be in action, with the Isles having a huge advantage coming off a three-day break and facing the Lightning, who are playing their second game in two nights. The Penguins and Panthers will also be in action.
In the West, the Preds have a crucial game against the Hurricanes. A win will move them to within one point of tying both the Jets and Flames for the final wild card spot, while a loss obviously makes their task far more difficult.
GOALIES
Alexandar Georgiev, COL at SJ ($8,700): Their previous meeting was much closer than anyone had anticipated in a 4-3 win for the Avs. Georgiev will be going for his third straight win and second in as many games against the Sharks. His save percentage dipped below .900 just once in his past nine games and the Avs offense will bail him out of any trouble.
Vitek Vanecek, NJ vs. CBJ ($8,600): The Devils looked good in their win against the Pens in their most recent game and it's the second time in three starts Vanecek allowed just one goal. This is the third and final meeting between the two teams with the Devils holding a 10-3 edge in scoring during the season series. Expect nothing different – the Jackets will finish as one of the worst teams in the league.
Jake Oettinger, DAL vs. PHI ($8,100): Fatigue was cited as one of the reasons Oettinger's play dipped in the second half, but he should be fresh in this game following a four-day break after Scott Wedgewood started their last game. The Flyers have lost four straight and without starter Carter Hart, leaving them to start either backup Felix Sandstrom or third-string Samuel Ersson.
Philipp Grubauer, SEA vs. ARI ($7,500): The Kraken are starting to get on a roll with four wins in their past six games. Grubauer's expected to be in net and the result shouldn't be much different when they last met on Monday in an 8-1 win for the Kraken. Their depth is the big difference maker and they've outscored their opponents 13-3 in their past two games.
Thatcher Demko, VAN vs. CHI ($7,000): Demko had a heavy workload since returning from injury but a three-day break might be the reset he needed. He allowed 14 goals during a three-game span, but the Blackhawks offense shouldn't post much of a challenge; their win against the Flames on Tuesday was the first time they scored more than three goals since March 14.
VALUE PLAYS
Thomas Bordeleau, SJ vs. COL ($3,400): Once again, this is not an easy matchup for Bordeleau and the Sharks, but the former Michigan Wolverine standout continues to play on the top line with Logan Couture. Bordeleau's averaging over 17 minutes per game and managed to put at least a shot on goal in each of three games he's played so far.
Phil Di Giuseppe, VAN vs. CHI ($4,200): Neither the Hawks nor the Canucks defend very well, which hints towards a high-scoring game. Di Giuseppe has been very productive with 15 shots on goal in his past five games, giving him a relatively high floor. He's been a staple on the second line with J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser and provides additional value with a role on the second power play unit.
Lukas Reichel, CHI at VAN ($4,600): Reichel's on a three-game point streak and he should get an additional boost with Jonathan Toews in the lineup. It gives their top line a natural center after Andreas Athanasiou filled that role, and the Canucks have gotten back to their poor defensive habits with 20 goals allowed in their past four games.
LINE STACKS
Red Wings vs. Sabres
Dylan Larkin (C - $7,200), David Perron (W - $6,100), Dominik Kubalik (W - $5,100)
Kubalik and Perron are both on multi-game point streaks while Larkin's been one of the league's best players since March, scoring nine goals and 19 points in 17 games. The Sabres have an excellent young goalie in Devon Levi, who has allowed only four goals in two starts, but based on their rotation it's more likely that either Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen or Eric Comrie get the start. Neither of them have been particularly sharp and the Sabres are allowing 3.62 goals per game, seventh-highest in the league.
Wild at Penguins
Joel Eriksson Ek (C - $6,900), Matt Boldy (W - $7,200), Marcus Johansson (W - $4,500)
Johansson is lagging a little behind but both Eriksson Ek and Boldy have been fantastic plays down the stretch. There's a lot of value since they're not priced like top-line players even though Boldy's scored 14 goals and 20 points in 16 games, and Eriksson Ek has added 12 assists during the same span. The Pens will not go down without a fight, but note expected starter Tristan Jarry has allowed nine goals in his past two games.
Avalanche at Sharks
Nathan MacKinnon (C - $10,400), Mikko Rantanen (W - $9,700), Evan Rodrigues (W - $5,500)
It's too good of a matchup to pass up, and even Rodrigues got in on the action, scoring a goal in their last game. The Avs scored "only" four goals, but most of their offense came from this line with MacKinnon pouring in three points and Rantanen adding two.
DEFENSEMEN
Dougie Hamilton, NJ vs. CBJ ($7,600): Hamilton's coming off a two-point game, his second in three games. He remains one of the best fantasy defensemen available with his ability to consistently get shots on net, and this will be one of the easiest matchups of the season against the Jackets.
Brandon Montour, FLA vs. OTT ($7,200): Montour's brilliant season continues as he looks to extend his points streak to five games. With Aaron Ekblad no longer a threat to take away minutes, especially on the power play, Montour remains a really good option because he can contribute in multiple categories. The Sens are not very stout defensively, especially with Thomas Chabot out for the season, forcing them to rely heavily on rookie Jake Sanderson. They've lost three straight with 10 goals allowed.
