Sidney Crosby has a great opportunity to heat up Thursday

It’s a good time to be a hockey fan. The playoff races continue to heat up as we enter the second half of February with plenty of teams still in the postseason picture. Like most nights, tonight’s eight-game NHL slate will have an impact on said races, however, we aren’t here to watch the standings. We’re here to earn some cash with a profitable FanDuel lineup, so let’s get to it!

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Center

Sidney Crosby (PIT): $8,800 vs. WPG
With just one point over his last three contests, I see a big game coming from the world’s best player tonight. Crosby is tied for second in league scoring with 61 points, however, his 1.24 points per game is easily the best mark in the NHL. While the goal scoring has understandably cooled off, the production continues. Crosby and the Penguins get a very favorable matchup tonight on home ice against the Jets. Pittsburgh leads the NHL with 3.93 goals per game at home while the Jets come in having surrendered a miserable 3.23 goals against per game on the road. Pittsburgh’s 27.1% clip with the man advantage is second-best in the league and should help Crosby and the Pens put together a productive offensive evening tonight.

Eric Staal (MIN): $5,600 vs. DAL
Minnesota and Pittsburgh appear to have the most favorable home matchups on tonight’s eight-game slate. The Wild will take on a Stars team that yields an inexplicable 3.75 goals per game on the road while killing penalties at just a 71.2% rate away from home, both of which are the worst marks in the league. It’s about time Staal’s line heated up as he has tallied just three assists over his last six games, but he continues to see first-line minutes both at even strength and with the man advantage. The latter point could loom large tonight as Minnesota leads the NHL with a 28.2% clip with the man advantage on home ice.

Wing

Alex Tuch (MIN): $3,000 vs. DAL
I have stood by Tuch as a value play in his brief tenure with the Wild this season. Although I haven’t been rewarded yet, he has a fantastic opportunity tonight. Tuch still appears to be playing next to Staal on that top Minnesota line and should have a serious opportunity for production for mostly the same reasons as his centerman. Dallas has surrendered five goals in each of their last two road games Things won’t get any easier against a Wild team that scores 3.29 goals per game, fourth-best in the NHL.

Jake Guentzel (PIT): $4,200 vs. WPG
Riding shotgun next to Crosby should prove fruitful again tonight for Guentzel. After tearing up the AHL with 42 points in just 33 games this season, Guentzel has carried that productivity to the NHL level where he has posted six goals and 11 points in 18 contests. He has a goal and an assist on eight shots over his last two games and should get plenty of looks tonight next to Crosby. As mentioned, I expect Crosby to have a huge night tonight which should provide Guentzel with a solid night as well.

Zach Parise (MIN): $6,800 vs. DAL
One big reason for the Wild’s success this season has been their balanced attack up front. Parise is technically on the third line, however, any line can be the top line for this team on any given night. Parise loves to shoot the puck, averaging 3.1 shots per game while over 17 minutes of ice time per game. That includes first-line power play reps next to Staal on that lethal Wild man advantage. If the league’s top home power play can score some goals against the league’s worst road penalty kill this lineup is bound for success tonight.

Vladimir Tarasenko (STL): $8,000 vs. VAN
After sweeping their five-game eastern road swing the Blues return home tonight to take on a Canucks team that is playing their sixth road game in nine days. Although he has seemed quiet, Tarasenko has scored three goals on 13 shots over his last four games. Besides, St. Louis is a better offensive team at home with an even three goals per game at the Scottrade Center. Tarasenko is 11th in league scoring, tied for sixth with 26 goals and ranks ninth with 183 shots on goal. He should have plenty of opportunities tonight against a tired Canucks team that surrenders 3.07 goals per game on the road.

Defense

Drew Doughty (LA): $5,800
Another home team with a favorable matchup tonight is the Kings. Los Angeles welcomes the lowly Arizona Coyotes to town, a team that is playing their third road game in four nights. Arizona ranks 27th with 3.15 goals against per game, and that number increases to 3.48 on the road. They also kill penalties at a 77.5% rate, 26th in the league, and that number drops to 74.2% on the road, good for 27th. Doughty is an all-category contributor with eight goals and 24 assists on the season to go along with 123 shots and 80 blocks as well. He also ranks third in the NHL with an average ice time of 27:12 per game.

Andrej Sekera (EDM): $4,300 vs. PHI
Man, another home team with a very favorable matchup! The Oilers will take on a Flyers team that took a 3-1 loss last night in Calgary to drop to 10-14-3 on the road. Their 10 wins are the second-fewest in the Eastern Conference thanks in large part to surrendering 3.3 goals per game away from home. Sekera has taken over as the top defenseman on an upstart Oilers. He has a solid 25 points in 55 games to go along with 87 shots and an even 100 blocked shots on the season.

Goalie

Peter Budaj (LA): $8,500 vs. ARI
You could go in many directions with a goalie tonight, but I like Budaj and a solid Kings defense to stymie the offensively-challenged Coyotes tonight at home. Budaj has filled in admirably for the injured Jonathan Quick this season having crafted a solid 2.11 goals against average and a .917 save percentage across 48 appearances (46 starts). The Kings give up just 2.46 goals per game at home while the Coyotes score a miserable 2.11 goals per game on the road. At the very least, Budaj should certainly be earning a victory tonight against an Arizona team that has won just seven times in 27 road games this season.

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Kemper is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Kemper, check out his site www.doubleupsports.com and follow him @KemperDoubleUp.