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Let’s get into it:
Five things you need to know:
- The Dallas Stars lines: Who knows what’s going on in Dallas. There are reports that Radulov might sit tonight, while last game Benn and Seguin were supposedly going to be split up, but ended up playing together. Check the pre-game line rushes.
- Kailer Yamamoto has been benched, Drake Cagguila takes over on the Oilers top line. No PP1 time.
- Kris Letang is a GTD but is expected to play.
- Dustin Brown is back on the top-line for the Kings. The Pearson-Carter-Toffoli line has also been reunited.
- The Ducks top-line has a new winger. Henrique moves down, Pontus Aberg rides shotgun.
Dallas Stars (2.8) at Toronto Maple Leafs (3.3, -143)
- For the second game in a row, Kadri will skate on the second line in place of Auston Matthews with Marleau and Kapanen. LW lock has the lines wrong. Kapanen and Marner have switched spots. Kapanen is off the PP1.
- Gross top line on Dallas, with Seguin centering Devin Shore and Mattias Janmark. Target DAL2 with Benn, Spezza and Nichushkin. Or the PP1. Radulov might be out tonight. Check the line rushes
- Keep in mind, Benn and Seguin were supposed to be split up last game and they weren’t. They played on a line with Radulov.
- Miro Heiskanen is on the PP1 with Klingberg.
D-stacking: Klingberg with DAL1, Reilly with TOR1, Gardiner with TOR2.
Pittsburgh Penguins (3.6, -150) at New York Islanders (3.0)
- Kris Letang is questionable tonight, but is travelling with the team. 50/50. I expect him to play.
D-stacking: Nick Leddy with the PP1 or NYI 1/2
Washington Capitals (3.2, -120) at Montreal Canadiens (2.9)
- Jakub Vrana is skating on the top-line with Kuznetsov and Ovechkin. They were together last game and say 27% 5v5 ice time together. Burakovsky is on the second line.
- Tinkering in MTL. Hudon moves up to the second line to play with Domi and Drouin, Lehkonen moves down to the third to form an all-Finn line with Kotkanemi and Armia.
D-stacking: Petry with MTL1, Niskanen/Carlson/Orlov with WSH 1/2
Buffalo Sabres (3.1, -120) at Ottawa Senators (2.9)
- Remi Elie is skating with Mittlelstadt and Reinhart on the second line, Sheary moves down to the third to play with Sobotka and Okposo.
D-stacking: Chabot with OTT1. Dahlin with BUF1.
New Jersey Devils (3.4, -151) at Detroit Red Wings (2.7)
- Martin Frk is on the PP1 for Detroit.
- Miles Wood is skating with Travis Zajac and Marcus Johansson.
- Brian Boyle and Will Butcher continue to play on the PP1.
D-stacking: Mike Green with DET1. Vatanen with NJD1 (not on PP together).
Nashville Predators (3.0) at Tampa Bay Lightning (3.1, -120)
- Ryan McDonagh is on the PP1 and is a supreme bagain tonight on both sites. Lock him in with Hedman out.
D-stacking: McDonagh and Stralman with TB1. Ekholm-Subban with NSH1, Josi-Ellis with NSH2.
Vegas Golden Knights (3.0) at St. Louis Blues (3.2, -131)
D-stacking: Pieterangelo with STL1, Theordore with VGS1.
Colorado Avalanche (2.9) at Calgary Flames (3.2, -131)
- Middle-six is all messed up tonight for Colorado, with Jost out. Kerfoot takes Jost’s spot on the PP1.
- COL1 saw a stupifying 38% 5v5 ice-time last game. They’ll draw a tough matchup against the best defensive line in hockey tonight. This is a great spot to fade them and their unsustainable production.
Kerfoot-Kamenev-Wilson
Nieto-Soderberg-Calvert
D-stacking: Giordano with CGY1, Barrie with COL1.
Chicago Blackhawks (2.7) at Edmonton Oilers (3.5, -172)
- Drake Cagguila gets to ride shotgun with McDavid and Nuge. Yamamoto is out.
- No morning skate for the Blackhawks – Check line rushes and Patrick Kane’s nagging injury. CHI on back-to-backs.
D-stacking: Klefbom got 16 5v5 minutes last game with the top line – highest I’ve seen all year. Stack him tonight.
New York Rangers (2.5), at Anaheim Ducks (3.0, -155)
- New Lines for the Ducks:
Rakell-Getzlaf-Aberg
Lundestrom-Henrique-Silfverberg
Cogliano-Gibbons-Kesler.
D-stacking: Fowler with ANA1, Pionk with NYR1.
Philadelphia Flyers (2.7) at LA Kings (2.9, -117)
- Dustin Brown is back and on the top-line with Kopitar and Iaffalo. He’s also on the PP1. According to PlayDraft he’s going to outscore McDavid tonight.
- The Pearson-Carter-Toffoli line has been re-united.
D-stacking: Doughty with LA1, Martinez/Muzzin with LAK2.
Columbus Blue Jackets (2.7) at San Jose Sharks (3.4, -170)
- Lines are the same for the Sharks — remember that Thornton is back in on the top-line.
- Columbus hits the road after a rough home loss to the Red Wings. Usually that means line changes for a Torts coached team. But it looks as though they’ll stay the same.
