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Scott Cullen provides his NHL DFS prop picks for March 15th, 2021 on Monkey Knife Fight. Make your DFS picks with his fantasy hockey advice.
Monday brings a busy night on the ice in the National Hockey League with nine games and Monkey Knife Fight is there with contests for every one of them to make it even more fun.
The St. Louis Blue and Los Angeles Kings had their game postponed because the Kings could not get back to L.A. after playing in Colorado but there are still some interesting matchups.
It starts with Nashville in Tampa Bay for an afternoon game and then Chicago at Florida and Boston at Pittsburgh pit playoff teams against each other. Same goes for Montreal at Winnipeg.
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Here are some Star Shootout angles to consider when playing Monday’s NHL action on Monkey Knife Fight.
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STAR SHOOTOUT - ALL DAY
MORE OR LESS
Thatcher Demko LESS THAN 31.5 SAVES
This is a big number to cover since Demko has averaged 30.7 saves per 60 minutes of play this season. He has made more than 31 saves in three of the past four games so there is a trend of Demko facing a lot of shots recently. While the Senators are surprisingly prolific at shot generation – their 32.5 shots/60 on home ice ranks fourth in the league – they are also on the second game of a back-to-back after defeating Toronto on Sunday.
Connor Hellebuyck MORE THAN 27.5 SAVES
The Jets goaltender is averaging 28.6 saves per 60 minutes this season and has recorded more than 30 saves in three of the past four games, with the only exception being that he stopped 15 of 19 shots the last time he played against Montreal when he was pulled in the second period. The Habs are also consistent shot creators, with 31.6 shots per 60 minutes on the road ranking second, behind only Boston.
David Pastrnak LESS THAN 5.5 SHOTS + BLOCKS
In 11 road games this season, Pasta has 51 shots plus blocks, so an average of 4.6 per game. He goes up against the Pittsburgh Penguins, who allow 30.9 shots per 60 which is more than the average team but maybe not enough to expect Pastrnak to go for at least six shots plus blocks, a threshold he has met four times in 11 road games.
Brady Tkachuk MORE THAN 5.5 FANTASY POINTS
In 13 home games, Tkachuk has put 57 shots on goal, which is about 4.2 per game. He also has six blocked shots in 13 home games so that has him over 4.6 fantasy points per game before it comes to scoring, and Tkachuk has six goals and five assists at home this season. If he gets on the scoreboard against Vancouver, that would make it very likely that Tkachuk would surpass this point total.
Patrick Kane LESS THAN 6.5 FANTASY POINTS
Chicago’s driving force offensively, Kane does have 17 points in 16 road contests this season and is averaging nearly 3.6 shots on goal per game. He also gets the benefit of facing a Panthers team that is allowing 30.8 shots per 60 minutes, which is more than the average team. But, if Kane even made it to four shots plus blocks, he would need more than just one assist to find his way to more than 6.5 fantasy points. It’s a lot to ask, even for a player as productive as Patrick Kane.
RAPID FIRE
Aleksander Barkov +0.5 fantasy points vs. Connor McDavid
This is not nearly so much about the players involved as it is about the opposition. Barkov is good, a productive and consistent player who has 15 points and 54 shots on goal in 14 home games and he gets to take advantage of a Chicago squad that is allowing 32.7 shots and 3.05 goals against per 60 minutes on the road this season, both of which are higher than average. McDavid has been incredible this season but is more dangerous at home, where he has 37 points in 18 games, compared to “only” 15 points in 12 road games. He also meets the new-look Flames in Calgary and the Flames just allowed a total of 43 shots on goal against Montreal in Darryl Sutter’s first two games behind the bench. If the Flames are going to grind the Oilers to dust – and they will try – then maybe Barkov’s matchup gives him a fighting chance as the underdog.
Alex Ovechkin +0.5 fantasy points vs. Leon Draisaitl
The story is similar in this matchup, as Ovechkin has 11 points and 62 shots on goal in 14 road games but he is going against the Buffalo Sabres, a team missing its No. 1 center and starting goaltender and it shows. Draisaitl also has 15 points in 12 road games but is facing the same daunting task of facing the Calgary Flames. Maybe the Flames won’t be able to keep Edmonton’s big guns in check but early returns are on an ultra-conservative Flames side and that could at least make Ovechkin a lively underdog.
Sean Couturier +0.5 fantasy points vs. Alex DeBrincat
Couturier is Philadelphia’s two-way ace down the middle of the ice. He has put up 10 points and 23 shots on goal in seven road games this season and matches up against a New York Rangers team that is allowing 30.9 shots against per 60 minutes, a higher-than-average rate. DeBrincat has been more productive on home ice, with 19 points in 11 games, compared to the road, where he has 10 points in 14 games. He also faces a Florida team that is similarly suspect defensively but there is not enough of an edge to prefer DeBrincat when he has to give Couturier an extra half fantasy point.
