This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
Sunday's NHL main slate begins at 7:00 PM Eastern time and features five games. Below, you'll find an overview of the matchups and suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
SLATE PREVIEW
Most of the chalk options will come from the Avalanche in San Jose, but there's value to be found in other matchups as well. The Golden Knights-Flames and Blues-Blackhawks clashes feature plenty of talent on both sides, and there are some nice bargain options available in the Wild-Ducks and Blue Jackets-Canucks games.
GOALIES
Pavel Francouz ($8,800) has given up nine goals in his last two starts, but he was lights out before that, going 6-0-0 with eight goals allowed in the previous six. He's 19-6-4 with a 2.39 GAA and .924 save percentage overall for the Avalanche, and a Francouz has a nice bounce-back opportunity against a Sharks team that's playing its second game in as many nights and scoring just 2.57 goals per game.
Thatcher Demko ($7,300) is a nice budget goalie option against the Blue Jackets, who average just 2.58 goals per game — fifth-fewest in the league. The Canucks netminder is 12-9-2 with a 3.07 GAA and .904 save percentage this season.
Corey Crawford ($7,900) could be worth a flier as an against-the-grain goalie option at home against St. Louis. Chicago's netminder is thriving now that he's back to being the team's clear No. 1, going 4-1-0 with 11 goals allowed in his last five starts. Meanwhile, the Blues have scored three or fewer regulation goals in each of their last four games.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Kevin Fiala ($6,300) has a 12-12-24 line in his last 17 games, and the surging Wild forward should continue his strong play in Anaheim. The Wild are playing for a playoff spot while the Ducks are allowing 3.15 goals per game.
Max Pacioretty ($7,500) leads the Golden Knights in goals (31), points (65) and shots (296), as he's enjoying arguably his finest all-around season at age 31. Expect him to keep compiling offense in Calgary.
Like Vancouver's offense in general, Tanner Pearson ($4,600) has been significantly better at home than on the road this season. He has a 13-13-26 line in 33 home contests and just an 8-11-19 line in 34 appearances elsewhere. Given those splits, he's a nice value play against a visiting Blue Jackets team that's playing its second game in as many nights in the midst of a grueling road trip.
Ryan O'Reilly ($6,600) is in a nice groove for the Blues, as he's playing at a point-per-game pace over the past eight. The well/rounded center should continue to deliver offensively in Chicago.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Avalanche at Sharks
Nathan MacKinnon (C - $9,000), Gabriel Landeskog (W - $7,400), Vladislav Namestnikov (W - $4,600)
Paying up for Colorado's top players should be a prudent move against a Sharks team that's playing its second game in as many nights and is allowing 3.16 goals per game. MacKinnon's 34-56-90 line is good for ninth in goals and fifth in points league-wide. Landeskog finally looks healthy and is playing his best hockey of the season, with a 4-6-10 line over an active seven-game point streak. The affordable Namestnikov has contributed two goals and an assist in six games since being traded to the Avalanche and has a golden opportunity to keep producing with his linemates drawing most of the defense's attention.
Flames vs. Golden Knights
Mikael Backlund (C - $5,900), Matthew Tkachuk (W - $6,700), Andrew Mangiapane (W - $4,400)
This line his been hot of late and should stay hot against a Golden Knights team that's been outscored 13-6 in its last three road games. Backlund has a 10-11-21 line in his last 15 games, while Mangiapane has added a 7-5-12 line in his last 11. Tkachuk has been a major force all season, as his 22-38-60 line is good for the team points lead.
Ducks vs. Wild
Ryan Getzlaf (C - $5,100), Sonny Milano (W - $3,400), Danton Heinen (W - $3,600)
Stacking Ducks has rarely been a prudent strategy, but they have some against-the-grain appeal at home against a Wild team that's playing its second game in as many nights after losing 7-3 to Los Angeles on Saturday. Anaheim has been decent at home with a 15-14-4 record, while Minnesota still ranks among the 10 most generous defenses, allowing 3.13 goals per game. Getzlaf leads the team with 41 points and is flanked by a pair of affordable trade deadline acquisitions. Milano never quite meshed with Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella, but the 2014 first-rounder has a 2-2-4 line in six games with the Ducks. Heinen's getting significantly more usage than he did in Boston and has a 2-1-3 line through six appearances with Anaheim.
DEFENSEMEN
Shea Theodore ($5,700) has been one of the league's hottest scorers from the blue line for a while. He has a 5-13-18 line in his last 21 games and will look to stay hot for Vegas against the Flames.
With Cale Makar (upper body) continuing to sit out, Samuel Girard ($4,400) is being asked to fill a larger role for Colorado. Girard has played well of late, mustering a 1-4-5 line in his last six games.
Ryan Suter ($5,000) is quietly having a career year offensively for the Wild, as an 8-39-47 line has him four points from his career high. The minute-munching defenseman is showing no signs of slowing down, with a 1-4-5 line in his last five games.
