FanDuel NHL: Monday Targets

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Published on September 14, 2020

SLATE PREVIEW

Defense has been the Stars' calling card all season, but Anton Khudobin has been otherworldly with his play this series, allowing just six goals in four games. The Stars have been in this situation before – they were up 3-1 on the Avalanche but lost two straight before clinching victory in overtime in Game 7. They'll be looking to avoid a similar situation this time. If the Stars win, it'll be the first time they've advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals since 2000 when they lost to the Devils in six games. Puck drop is at 8 p.m. EDT.

GOALIES

FanDuel's Single Game pools do not make goalies available for selection. However, Khudobin and Robin Lehner are expected to be the starters again. Note that Khudobin has been outplaying Lehner by a wide margin this series, and that Vegas has had a lot of trouble finishing despite generating numerous shots on goal.

VALUE PLAYS

Jason Dickinson, DAL vs. VGK ($7,000): He played a series-high 19 minutes in Game 4 with the Stars missing key players up front and ended up being one of the better puck possession players that game. His ice time is inflated because he kills a lot of penalties, but he still managed to get two shots on goal. He's one of Rick Bowness' more trusted players and if Roope Hintz is not available, look for Dickinson to get an increased role again.

Chandler Stephenson, VGK vs. DAL ($7,500): Paul Stastny and William Karlsson remain the top two centers but Stephenson has been moved around the lineup quite a bit, especially if Vegas is falling behind and looking for a spark. His offense is hit or miss, but he usually has at least one good finisher on his wing.

LINE STACKS

Vegas vs. Dallas

Paul Stastny (C - $9,500), Reilly Smith (W - $8,500), Jonathan Marchessault (W - $10,000)

With news that Mark Stone may not be 100 percent healthy after blocking a shot in Game 4, not to mention higher salaries for linemates Karlsson and Max Pacioretty, Vegas' second line is just as good a bet to be a big driver on offense. In just under eight minutes of even-strength ice time, they generated 10 shot attempts, just one fewer than Karlsson's line.

DEFENSEMEN

Shea Theodore, VGK vs. DAL ($12,500): His salary is high, but he's averaged more than three shots per game, and as a top-pairing defenseman, he generally gets more ice time than top-line forwards. He leads Vegas in points (18), power-play points (8) and shots (77).

Miro Heiskanen, DAL vs. VGK ($9,000): He's a better value play than Theodore because he has 22 points, but keep in mind he doesn't jump on offense as often does Theodore. John Klingberg has the same salary but there's no doubt Heiskanen has more upside.

Esa Lindell, DAL vs. VGK ($7,000): If you're looking for some easy blocked shots, look no further than Lindell, who has blocked a team-high 54 shots and ranks 10th among defenseman in BkS/60. Only Alec Martinez and Zach Whitecloud rank higher among the two teams, but the Knights typically outshoot their opponents, which gives Lindell more chances and a higher floor.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire.