This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Three of Sunday's five games are scheduled for after 7:00 PM, providing the evening NHL slate. Look for the Rangers to get back to their high-scoring ways at home against the Panthers, while the Red Wings try to exploit a vulnerable Flames defense and the Kings and Ducks renew their rivalry in the night's final contest. There are value plays to be found in all three games, so read on to find out which players provide the best bang for the buck.
GOALIE
Petr Mrazek, DET vs. CGY ($32): Mrazek is the cheaper Red Wings goalie, and offers excellent value against the 7-11-1 Flames. Calgary has scored a mere 2.26 goals per game, giving the struggling netminder a great chance to reverse his recent form. Take advantage of Mrazek's low price and plus matchup before he starts trending up and becomes more expensive.
Goalie to Avoid
Roberto Luongo, FLA at NYR ($27): Even at $27, Luongo is a risky play against the league-leading Rangers offense. New York is the only team averaging north of four goals per game, so don't be surprised if Luongo's three-game winning streak ends here. There are good times to go against the grain, but this isn't one of them.
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CENTER
Ryan Kesler, ANH vs. LA ($20): Kesler has six goals in his past six games, and is likely to continue that scoring spree against a Kings team playing the second night of a back-to-back. The middling Los Angeles defense isn't up to the franchise's usual standards, so expect Kesler to generate plenty of chances both at even strength and on the power play. Linemate Jakob Silfverberg's emergence as a strong offensive threat has given the center more open ice to work with, so this whole line should find success in this one given their recent chemistry.
Center to Avoid
Dylan Larkin, DET vs. CGY ($19): Red Wings players in general offer good value, but Larkin is an exception at $19. The center is going through a sophomore slump, with only six points and a minus-7 rating this season. There are better values to be found, even with Larkin facing the lowly Flames.
WING
Michael Grabner, NYR vs. FLA ($19): Grabner has shown no signs of slowing down, with four goals and 19 shots in his past five games. The speedy winger consistently generates breakaway chances using his combination of quickness and anticipation, and should be able to get behind a risk-taking Florida blueline that pinches in often. He has dramatically outperformed his $19 price thus far, and this game should be no exception.
Troy Brouwer, CGY at DET ($12): Brouwer is sitting at the minimum price despite his newfound first-line role in Johnny Gaudreau's absence. He picked up a pair of helpers and a plus-2 rating while skating over 20 minutes in his last game, and that level of usage and production is too good to pass up despite his team's poor play this season. While the Flames will be fighting an uphill battle here, Brouwer is still a major steal at $12.
Wings to Avoid:
Chris Kreider, NYR vs. FLA ($25): Kreider was unsurprisingly a little rusty in his return Friday, as he was kept off the board in his first action since Oct. 12. New York's most expensive winger represents the worst value on the team given how well his teammates have been scoring while he has been out. It just doesn't make sense to pay up for Kreider until he's in better form, given the myriad alternative options.
Jesper Fast, NYR vs. FLA ($15): Fast is significantly less skilled than many of his similarly-prices teammates, making it difficult to justify putting him in your lineup against a Panthers team that has been solid defensively. There's a reason he has been given under 15 minutes of ice time in 10 of his past 11 games.
DEFENSE
Mike Green, DET vs. CGY ($19): Green is an offensive-minded defenseman, as evidenced by his three goals and 11 points in 18 games. The Flames represent a near-perfect matchup for him, as they're ranked 26th in the league defensively with 3.26 goals allowed per game. Green has been unlucky not to score more on the power play thus far, putting up just three points despite serving as a point man on the first unit. Don't be surprised if he breaks out with the man advantage here against the league's second-worst penalty kill.
Dan Girardi, NYR vs. FLA ($16): Girardi often gets underestimated due to his lack of offense, but he has proven more than capable of providing fantasy points through other means. The veteran blueliner already has 37 blocks and a plus-10 rating in 14 games, and has picked up at least 8.0 fantasy points in four straight despite getting on the scoresheet in only one of those. He should continue to post excellent secondary stats against a Panthers team the Rangers are expected to beat, and offers a high floor at an affordable price.
Defensemen to Avoid
Drew Doughty, LA at ANH ($20): Doughty has been a disappointment offensively, registering just six points, and only one with the man advantage, to date. A matchup with a Ducks team that allows the 10th-fewest goals per game isn't likely to help him break out. Plus, Doughty's plus-minus could be an issue with his Kings having lost four of six coming in.
Mark Giordano, CGY at DET ($22): Giordano is one of the league's best offensive defensemen when he's on, but he has been very off lately with just one point in his past 12 games. His minus-2 rating could continue to plummet for a poor Flames team, so it's unwise to use Giordano until both he and his teammates begin to turn things around.
