DFS Lines to Target: 03/03/20
There are 10 games on the docket for this Tuesday night in the NHL. I’ve gone over my top high-priced, mid-range and value stacks to help you out. Good luck!
High-Priced
Toronto 1 – Zach Hyman ($5,600), Auston Matthews ($8,500), Mitch Marner ($7,200)
Both Toronto 1 and Toronto 2 draw favorable line matchups in their game against the Sharks tonight. The top line is your best option when you consider Matthews and Marner are playing on the team’s lethal first power-play unit. At even-strength this season, this Toronto trio has a solid 52.14 CF% and 56.29 HDCF%. They’ll be matched up against a new-look San Jose first line consisting of Evander Kane, Logan Couture and Noah Gregor. Kane and Couture have played over 300 minutes together this season and own a mediocre 50.00 CF% and an underwhelming 47.79 HDCF%.
Matthews looked very dominant in his last game against Vancouver, while Hyman also turned in a strong outing and found the back of the net. Marner collected a helper in that game to give him points in three straight games. The Sharks are turning in goal to Martin Jones, who has been lights out with a .951 save percentage over his last five appearances. Jones still owns a .897 save percentage on the season and his defense is giving up the 11th-most amount of high-danger chances in the league. When you consider that Toronto is averaging four goals-per-game during a 4-1-0 stretch of play, the Leafs’ top line has a great chance of doing some major damage tonight.
Medium-Priced
Pittsburgh 2 – Patrick Marleau ($3,000), Evgeni Malkin ($6,900), Bryan Rust ($6,200)
After a disastrous California road trip, Pittsburgh will look to get back on track on home ice against the Senators. The Penguins are 22-6-4 at PPG Paints Arena and will get to face a Senators team that is allowing the second-most amount of goals on the road this season (3.67 GA/GP). The Penguins second line will draw the best matchup in this game as they will face the Sens’ third line of Colin White, Jayce Hawrychuk and Nick Paul. We don’t yet have a sample for this trio, but when Paul and White have played together this season, they’ve put up a 47.14 CF% and 47.51 HDCF%.
Some of the better value for this stack comes in the goaltending department. Craig Anderson is getting the nod in goal and he’s given up at least three goals in five straight starts. It’s tempting to stay away from the Penguins during this six-game losing streak, but Ottawa has been a disaster on the road this year (6-18-6) and could get trampled again by what should be a very motivated Penguins squad. Malkin and Rust are both 20-goal-scorers this year and should generate plenty of high-quality chances tonight.
Value Stack
Edmonton 1 – Tyler Ennis ($4,400), Connor McDavid ($8,100), Josh Archibald ($2,800)
Anything involving Connor McDavid’s high price tag typically can’t be considered of too much value, but his linemates for tonight’s game against the Stars come at a very cheap cost. This Oilers trio will be matched up against Dallas’ third line of Cogliano, Faska and Comeau, which is getting outchanced at even-length by their opponents. Ennis and McDavid have put up an electric 61.29 HDCF% when on the ice together thus far.
McDavid likely won’t be able to duplicate his five-point performance against Nashville last night, especially in the second half of a back-to-back, but he does catch a break with Dallas starting netminder Ben Bishop sidelined with a lower-body injury. It still won’t be easy sledding, as backup Anton Khudobin is 7-2-2 with .930 save percentage since the New Year despite giving up three goals in his last game against St. Louis. Dallas has still allowed eight goals in back-to-back losses, so when you consider McDavid has 13 points in his last 5 games and Archibald is coming off a multi-point outing, there’s nice value to be found in Edmonton 1 tonight.