The Shot Dude: Thursday 8-Pack
Some like to get the weekend going early with their favorite quality beverages.
It's a bit too early for your favorite Shot Dude, but I will enjoy the 8-pack of NHL games on tap for tonight.
Included in tonight's games are the battle of New York, the current shot- and goal-scoring leader, and even the goon leading the NHL in penalty minutes, if you're into that sort of thing.
You can see all eight of these intriguing games with the help of the Bovada data tool located on our Home page:
Check out FanDuel's great selection of NHL fantasy games. They're not Powerball, but your odds of success are much better to the extent that you might just cover your bar tab for the weekend.
Forwards
Vladimir Tarasenko, St Louis ($8300) ... ranks seventh league-wide with almost four shots per game. His 162 salvoes have produced 24 goals in 44 games. Dude's a nightmare for any defense to deal with, and tonight on home ice, it'll be Carolina's burden to try to slow him down. I say good luck; the Hurricanes have not only allowed 61 goals in 22 road games this season, they've also got the fourth worst penalty kill in away games at just 74.5%.
Joe Thornton, San José ($5300) ... isn't the Sharks most frequent shooter, but the 68 pucks he's fired have netted nine goals. Dude's most valuable contributions have been made recently, with 14 of his 32 season points coming in just the last 10 contests. As a result, he's only been below 3.8 fantasy points once in those games. Thornton has a great chance to continue his inspired play at home against Edmonton, a team that's given up an average of 3.23 goals/game on the road.
Anthony Duclair, Arizona ($5000) ... has put together 4 solid fantasy games in his last 5 outings. That's also where 5 of his 24 season points have come from. Like Thornton, Duclair is not a high-volume shooter, but I think his recent uptick continues tonight on home ice against Detroit. While the Red Wing defense keys on stopping the Coyotes' top line, it should be the second line, including Duclair, that will prosper.
Defensemen
Duncan Keith, Chicago ($5700) ... has 26 points in 35 games, 11 of which have come on the power play. Dude's really come to life lately, with 20 shots and 8 points in his last 8 games. Keith's play is a contributing factor as Blackhawkshappen to be on the NHL's longest current winning streak: eight games. They'll aim to continue this streak against Montréal, a team with only 3 wins in their last 10 contests.
Roman Josi, Nashville ($5700) ... averages almost 25 minutes of ice time per game. This Swiss national has pitched in with 9 goals on 103 shots, and also, his 31 points in 42 games rank him sixth among d-men. With the departure of Seth Jones, Nashville's blueline has been in a state of flux. However, Josi has been a stabilizing force in the top pairing and on the power play, where 15 of his points have come. I like the Preds' chances tonight in Winnipeg, where the Jets have a lowly home penalty kill of 76.0% and have also surrendered 2.86 goals a game this season.
Goaltender
Braden Holtby, Washington ($9800) ... is the NHL leader in wins with 27. Dude's won three straight as part of the 8 in his last 10 appearances. Holtby also ranks second in the league with a 1.93 goals against average and third with his .932 save percentage. This stellar campaign should continue tonight for Holtby; he defends his home crease against Vancouver. The Canucks have been mediocre on the road, 8-8-6 and have given up 15 more goals than they've scored on the season.
Whether or not your weekend has already started, your favorite Shot Dude hope you pop open a winning fantasy night.
Please be safe out there, but always give it your best shot!
You can follow me on twitter@fsofia8.