This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
The Blues will be heavily favored against the Flyers, who are coming off a 6-5 shootout win against the struggling Bruins after Brad Marchand miffed his attempt. The Blues have limited their opponents to two goals or less in four straight games.
The Canadiens should also be heavily favored against the Blackhawks, though it should be a slight tighter game unless Carey Price shuts the door. The Habs have won two straight while the Hawks have scored only 10 goals in their past four games.
GOALIES
Jordan Binnington ($8,600) should get the start after Jake Allen started last game, but both will be solid and popular choices. Brian Elliott ($7,000) will start for Philly and he'd be hard-pressed to win this game. However, with just two games on tap, and knowing that anything can happen beyond regulation time with the amount of parity in the league, Elliott might be the best value play.
It feels like Carey Price ($8,400) is getting hot again so he should be a good play against Chicago, though likely starter Robin Lehner ($8,200) can usually give teams quite the challenge and he's won two straight games, albeit against Ottawa and Anaheim. With such a tiny premium for a clear upgrade, Binnington should be the top pick.
VALUE PLAYS
Ilya Kovalchuk ($4,200) is getting loads of ice time with the Habs and producing as well. The Blackhawks bleed high-danger chances so it wouldn't be surprising to see the Habs offense pop off.
Dominik Kubalik ($4,800) scored two goals on nine shots to extend his goal streak to five games against Ottawa last night.
Jimmy Hayes ($5,300) has played over 19 minutes in each of his past two games and scored a power-play goal against Boston. He's now playing on the top line alongside Claude Giroux and Travis Konecny with Sean Couturier moving down to play with Jakub Voracek.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Chicago Blackhawks (TOTAL: $14,900)
C – Jonathan Toews ($6,600)
W – Dominik Kubalik ($4,800)
W – Drake Caggiula ($3,500)
Toews and Kubalik have been good all season while Caggiula's just coming along for the ride. Patrick Kane will occasionally get shifts with Toews but it doesn't happen very often, and that right side has been a revolving door. Still, you're getting pretty good value for the Hawks' top line.
DEFENSEMEN
Jeff Petry ($5,300) is on a three-game assist streak so he seems like a better play than Shea Weber ($6,200) at the moment, and both provided some added value as shot blockers. Alex Pietrangelo ($6,500) is a good bet against a team that will be starting their mediocre backup.
I like what Ben Chiarot ($4,000) can bring to the table. Even though he scores very infrequently, he gets a few shots and blocked shots per game. His 9.54 FPPG ranks sixth, ahead the likes of Duncan Keith ($4,800) and Erik Gustafsson ($4,400).
Travis Sanheim ($3,900) is coming off a two-goal game and he's an underrated young defenseman who's been playing a bigger role lately. Vince Dunn ($3,900) can be had at the same price but his role is much smaller on a deeper defensive team.