This article is part of our FantasyDraft NHL series.
It's the first day of April, and also Easter, but don't forget about hockey. There are four NHL games Sunday night, starting at 6:00 p.m. ET. Here are some recommendations for your daily fantasy lineup. You'd be a fool not to consider them.
GOALIE
New Jersey Devils, NJD at MON ($17,300): The Devils and Canadiens are on the second day of a back-to-back, but they are two teams going in opposite directions. New Jersey is 7-2-1 in its last 10 games, while Montreal is 3-7-0. Plus, the Habs have only scored 2.52 goals per game. That makes them the worst offense going Sunday by a healthy margin.
CENTER
Nicklas Backstrom, WAS at PIT ($12,400): Backstrom has eight points in his last four games and 16 in his last 11. The Penguins are another team on the second night of a back-to-back, and they've struggled in such instances this season. On zero days of rest, Pittsburgh has a 3.47 GAA and .888 save percentage.
Kyle Turris, NAS at TAM ($9,000): Turris has started 64.6 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, good for the highest mark on the Predators. He also has a four-game point streak. The Lightning have a 3.41 GAA since the All-Star break, and on the season, they have the 26th-ranked penalty kill. That bodes well for Turris, who has 15 power-play points in 61 games for the Predators.
WING
Patric Hornqvist, PIT vs. WAS ($12,300): Hornqvist lit the lamp Saturday, giving him 26 goals on 236 shots. On top of that, 15 of those goals have come with the extra man. The Capitals have really struggled defensively on the road, as they have a 3.38 GAA in away games. Philipp Grubauer also hasn't played since returning from an undisclosed injury, which could mean Braden Holtby (3.01 GAA, .907 save percentage) in net.
Corey Perry, ANA vs. COL ($11,100): Perry has tallied five goals and eight assists in his last 15 games, giving him 46 points in 67 contests. Meanwhile, the Avalanche have a 3.34 GAA on the road and have given up 33.1 shots on net per contest away from home. Additionally, Semyon Varlamov and Erik Johnson are both out for the remainder of the regular season. Varlamov's injury likely means Jonathan Bernier (2.82 GAA, .913 save percentage) in net.
Patrick Maroon, NJD at MON ($7,000): Since being traded to the Devils, Maroon has averaged 3:13 per game on the power play and notched four points with the extra man in 13 games. That's good, but Kyle Palmieri is also banged up and may be unable to play. That could mean more minutes, and more power-play minutes for Maroon on Sunday. That could pay off big time, as the Canadiens have the 30th-ranked penalty kill.
DEFENSEMEN
Kris Letang, PIT vs. WAS ($10,600): Letang is enjoying a four-game point streak, and on top of that, he has 15 shots on net in his last five contests. He now has 49 points in 76 games, 19 of which have come with the extra man. As previously noted, the Capitals have a 3.38 GAA on the road, which ranks in the bottom five in the NHL.
Will Butcher, NJD at MON ($7,000): Butcher has started 62.1 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, the highest on the Devils. He's also notched 21 points with the extra man. The Canadiens, who are on the second night of a back-to-back, have the worst penalty kill in the league since the All-Star break by a pretty wide margin. Don't be surprised if Butcher extends his current five-game point streak.
