This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
The Sunday NHL evening slate only consists of three games, but there are seven contests going down overall. Since it's the weekend, I figured I'd make recommendations for the full docket. Get your lineup in early if you can, as the first puck drop is at 1:00 PM ET. Here are some guys to target, and to avoid, for Sunday.
GOALIE
Connor Hellebuyck, WPG vs. DAL ($38): The Jets have produced a 3.00 GAA, but you can mostly blame backup Laurent Brossoit for that. Hellebuyck comes in with a 2.30 GAA and a .933 save percentage. Dallas's offense has lacked any punch so far, as it has only averaged 2.41 goals and 29.7 shots on net per game.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Henrik Lundqvist, NYR vs. FLA ($23): This is not a an easy day for finding goalies to recommend avoiding. Mostly it's favorable matchups or guys like Jimmy Howard and Michael Hutchinson you wouldn't go with anyway. Lundqvist will be facing a Panthers' team on the road for the second day of a back-to-back. However, Florida ranks in the top-five in both goals and shots on net per contest. Hank has a .922 save percentage, but a 3.03 GAA. The reason for that? New York has allowed a league-high 36.3 shots on net per contest.
CENTER
Bo Horvat, VAN vs. NJD ($19): Horvat may stand in Elias Pettersson's shadow, but the Vancouver captain has 14 points in 17 games in his own right - including eight with the extra man. The Devils sport a whopping 3.80 GAA, mostly due to their goalies posting an .872 save percentage.
CENTER TO AVOID
Sean Couturier, PHI at BOS ($20): Couturier has gotten hot, with six points in his last seven contests. I expect this game to be a splash of cold water on Couturier's game. In addition to being on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back, the Flyers are facing a Bruins team with a 2.44 GAA.
WING
Reilly Smith, VGK at DET ($18): Smith has started a higher percentage of his shifts in the offensive zone than any other Vegas forward, which - along with an elevated shooting percentage - has helped him notch 10 goals in 18 games. This is not one of those times where I am worried about a player being on the road for the second day of a back-to-back, as the Red Wings have struggled to a 3.89 GAA and the league's worst penalty kill.
Brandon Saad, CHI vs. TOR ($15): Saad has been moved to Chicago's top line alongside Jonathan Toews. Maybe that has helped him tally three points over his last three games. Both of these teams are playing the second leg of a back-to-back, but this will also give Saad quite the favorable matchup. Michael Hutchinson will likely be in net for the Leafs, and he's posted a 4.25 GAA and .885 save percentage.
WINGS TO AVOID
Patrik Laine, WPG vs. DAL ($25): Where has Laine's goal scoring gone? The Finn hasn't lit the lamp in his last 10 games. He'll be hard pressed to turn it around Sunday, as the Stars have allowed a mere 2.41 goals per game. And they've scored as many as they've given up on average while only ceding 29.9 shots on net per contest.
James Neal, EDM at ANA ($22): Yes, Neal has 12 goals in 18 games. He also has a 24.5 shooting percentage that's bound to regress. This won't be that easy of a matchup for the veteran winger, as John Gibson has recorded a 2.55 GAA and a .923 save percentage. Gibson also has a longer track record of success at this level than Neal's current level of play.
DEFENSE
Torey Krug, BOS vs. PHI ($22): Krug has been on his game, with a five-match point streak. He's also been predictably crushing it on the power play, as 11 of his 13 points have come with the extra man. The Flyers are middle-of-the-pack in GAA but on the road for the second night of a back-to-back, so I don't expect them at the top of their game. That's a point in Krug's favor.
Quinn Hughes, VAN vs. NJD ($15): The Hughes brothers are squaring off Sunday, but Quinn is off to a better start to his rookie campaign than first-overall pick Jack. Quinn has racked up 11 points in 16 games, including eight on the power play. The 19-year-old will be facing a Devils' team with the 26th-ranked penalty kill, so the older brother should be able to get some bragging rights on his younger brother by the end of this game.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
P.K. Subban, NJD at VAN ($17): Subban only has registered five points on the season, and only one over his last six games. He also doesn't have a single point with the extra man in his first year with the Devils. Good luck fixing that here, as the Canucks enter with a 2.59 GAA and the seventh-ranked penalty kill.
Cam Fowler, ANA vs. EDM ($16): Fowler has notched eight points through 17 games to start the season, but his 9.4 shooting percentage seems like it might regress. I don't know if the Oilers can keep things up defensively and in net, but so far they have been strong on that side of the puck with a 2.50 GAA and a .918 save percentage.
