This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Sunday is Hockey Day in America, which means that there are more games than usual to end the weekend. In addition to two early afternoon games that have their own slate of contests, there are eight games starting at 6PM ET, which is a little earlier than the typical 7PM starting time. Here are some picks to consider...
GOALIE
Ben Bishop, TAM at COL ($7,700):Andrei Vasilevskiy got the start Saturday, so Bishop seems likely to get the start Sunday. However, if he doesn't, he and Vasilevskiy cost the exact same price, so the difference is negligible. This is primarily about the matchup, as Colorado is the one team in the league that isn't even scoring two goals per game on average (1.98), and they also have allowed the most goals per game on average as well (3.32). The Avalanche are the worst team in the NHL and are 7-19-1 at home, which gives Bishop a great chance of picking up a win.
CENTER
Ryan O'Reilly, BUF vs. CHI ($5,700): The Blackhawks' GAA is pretty good, but they've allowed 31.2 shots on net per contest, and their penalty kill ranks 27th. Meanwhile, Buffalo has the best power play in the league, and O'Reilly is a big part of that. He's tallied 18 power-play points, and in his last 10 games he has nine points.
Jordan Staal, CAR vs. TOR ($5,200): Toronto played Saturday, letting in six goals on 42 shots on net. That's not super surprising, considering that they've allowed 2.88 goals and 32.5 shots on net per game. That latter number is the third most in the league. Staal has averaged a solid 2.9 fantasy points per game, and in his last eight games he has seven points.
WING
Artemi Panarin, CHI at BUF ($6,200): The Sabres have allowed a league-worst 34.1 shots on net per game, and their penalty kill is even worse than Chicago's (29th). Panarin has notched 139 shots on net in 58 games, and he's tallied 15 power-play points. He's a little pricey, but well worth it.
Patrick Marleau, SAN vs. BOS ($5,500):Tuukka Rask did pick up a shutout in his last start, but in his 11 starts before that he had a 3.57 GAA and a .854 save percentage. Overall, Rask has a .912 save percentage, while the reliable veteran Marleau has another 20-goal season to his name, having hit that mark on 147 shots in 59 games. With Boston's recent struggles, this looks like a nice matchup.
Jonathan Drouin, TAM at COL ($5,400): As previously mentioned, the Avalanche have allowed a league-worst 3.32 goals per game. Beyond that, they've given up 32.2 shots on net per contest, and their penalty kill ranks 25th. Drouin was dealing with an illness before Saturday's game, but he was able to give it a go, so he should be fine for Sunday's matchup. Drouin has 16 goals in 49 games this season, plus 15 power-play points.
DEFENSEMEN
Shayne Gostisbehere, PHI at VAN ($4,300): Gostisbehere only has one point in four games since being a healthy scratch, but there is reason to be encouraged. He has 12 shots on goal in those games, and has averaged 4:08 on the power play. After having an 11.2 shooting percentage last season, Gostisbehere's shooting percentage is 3.2 this year, meaning more luck could be coming his way. Even with his bad shooting luck, he still has 14 power-play points. The Canucks played Saturday, which likely means Jacob Markstrom (.910 save percentage) in net. Vancouver has allowed 2.86 goals and 31.0 shots on net per game, and their penalty kill ranks 24th. This is the kind of matchup that could help get Gostisbehere back on track.
Marc-Edouard Vlasic, SAN vs. BOS ($4,100): Vlasic hasn't been a big point producer, but he does have four in his last seven games. However, beyond his play in the offensive zone, Vlasic has blocked 108 shots in 54 contests. That's particularly worth noting here, because the Bruins lead the league with 63.1 shot attempts per 60 minutes, so he'll likely have plenty of opportunities to get in front of the puck.
