This article is part of our FantasyScore NHL series.
There are just three games on the National Hockey League schedule Wednesday, which makes your FantasyScore selections even more challenging with their two-goalie format. This is especially true Wednesday, because two of the three matchups feature Stanley Cup contenders -- Yes, the Kings are legit contenders.
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Game Notes
Blackhawks at Rangers
These two teams met 10 days ago, and the Rangers shutout Chicago 1-0. The Blackhawks have won three straight since, but Chicago enters the Big Apple on the wrong end of back-to-back games. Additionally, Chicago will be traveling East for the game and losing an hour. While not detrimental, a small advantage goes to the home team in this contest.
Speaking of the Blueshirts, they're up to 17-2-3 over their last 22 games and have allowed just six goals over their last seven contests. The Rangers also boast an impressive 22-7-5 record on home ice and average 3.0 goals a game in their barn. Turning to Vegas, the under has also hit in each of New York's last seven games. Doubting the Blackhawks is never wise, so instead, expect a playoff atmosphere to accompany this likely low-scoring affair.
Blue Jackets at Oilers
Another pair of teams that met recently, as Columbus topped Edmonton 5-4 in a shootout Friday. Injuries have taken their toll on the Blue Jackets, and while they're buried in the standings, they're just a loss removed from a three-game winning streak. Interestingly, Columbus boasts a .500 record (17-15-2) away from Ohio, and allow fewer goals on the road (2.85 per road game, 3.4 per home game), too.
With the arrival of spring, the Oilers find themselves lottery bound, again. Edmonton snapped a seven-game losing streak last time out, with a 4-1 win over the equally deficient Maple Leafs. Prior to their win Monday, Edmonton had allowed 21 goals over their previous four games, as limiting the opposition continues to be a serious issue. Expect this to be another wide-open shooting fest, and unless either goalie rises to the occasion, another 5-4 result is probable.
Kings at Ducks
Anaheim has been the class of the Western Conference for the majority of the season, despite leaning heavily on one-goal wins and less than ideal #fancystats. Los Angeles, on the other hand, enters scorching hot after treading water through the middle stanza of the season. The Kings are peaking at the right time, again, and boast a 13-4-1 record, which was kick-started by an eight-game winning streak.
This will be the fifth meeting between the division rivals, and the Ducks have won three games while losing in a shootout in the other. In what typically projects as a low-scoring matchup, there have been 24 goals -- six per game -- to date in the series, however, that number is buoyed by the first game of the season accounting for 10 of the goals. Expect a similar playoff feel and goal total on the Duck Pond as the game being played in the Big Apple.
Recommended Plays
Here are players at each position and from various price tiers for you to utilize in Tuesday's FantasyScore contests.
Centers
Jonathan Toews, CHI, $6,500 (13.0 percent of cap) - On the heels of a four-point showing with two goals, Toews has stepped up his offensive game with Patrick Kane (shoulder) out. Toews has five goals, five helpers, a plus-8 rating and 24 shots over his last eight games. Just be careful of the daunting matchup, although having Patrick Sharp and Marian Hossa on his flanks basically mitigates it.
Derek Stepan, NYR, $4,900 (9.8 percent of cap) - Expected to center a throwback line with Rick Nash and Chris Kreider, Stepan needs a shakeup. The pivot is pointless in 10 straight games, and he has averaged just 1.7 FantasyScore points during the span. Stepan is a sound mid-priced option Wednesday.
Alexander Wennberg, CLS, $2,000 (4.0 percent of cap) - The 2014 first rounder posted a pair of helpers in the meeting Friday, and he has at least two shots in each of his last five games. He has carved out a nice role with the team, including top-unit power-play duty. He also carries a minimum price.
Wingers
Rick Nash, NYR, $7,400 (14.8 percent of cap) - Nash has registered 31 shots over his last six games but returned just one goal. He is a matchup nightmare, and with Chicago having to deal with John Tavares last night, expect Nash to have a little extra space to capitalize on an opportunity Wednesday.
Jordan Eberle, EDM, $4,800 (9.6 percent of cap) - The diminutive winger has four multipoint games through his last five outings. It adds up to three goals, seven helpers and an average of 6.52 FantasyScore points per game. He is hot.
Scott Hartnell, CLS, $4,800 (9.6 percent of cap) - Hartnell has five goals and a plus-3 rating over his last four games with 15 shots on goal. He also has 90 penalty minutes this season, and his ability to chip in across all categories makes him a reliable mid-priced option.
Jakob Silfverberg, ANA, $3,800 (7.6 percent of cap) - While he can't seem to crack the top six, Silfverberg has still managed to post 15 points -- five goals -- over his last 20 games. He is a nice source of cap relief, who rarely returns a minus rating and is currently playing his best hockey.
Defensemen
Drew Doughty, LOS, $4,900 (9.8 percent of cap) - The minute-eater typically reserves his best showings for when the stakes are the highest. A date with the Ducks in March is only topped by a matchup in the post season. Over his past three games, Doughty has averaged 3.07 FantasyScore points.
Andrej Sekera, LOS, $4,300 (8.6 percent of cap) - Still adjusting to life with the Kings, Sekera is a nice mid-priced rearguard to target Wednesday. He'll avoid Anaheim's top line, and he has chipped in an average of 1.93 FantasyScore points per game since joining Los Angeles. Most importantly, though, the respectable return comes with just two assists.
Justin Schultz, EDM, $3,000 (6.0 percent of cap) - The cap-friendly price somewhat mitigates the high-risk, high-reward nature of Schultz's game. He has a goal, five helpers and 18 shots over his last eight games, but he is also a minus-7. Schultz is an ill-advised option for those adverse to risk.
Goalies
Cam Talbot, NYR, $6,000 (12.0 percent of cap) - With a .967 save percentage, a 5-0-1 record and just six goals allowed over the past six games, Talbot is locked in. Especially considering five of the past six opponents are playoff bound, and Florida is fighting for a birth. New York is playing exceptional in front of their current No. 1 netminder.
Ben Scrivens, EDM, $4,800 (9.6 percent of cap) - The ultimate high-risk, high-reward start, Scrivens has posted just three worthy performances over his last nine starts. Still, he is very much in play at his price, especially if Edmonton can limit the prime scoring chances. Scrivens is well within flier territory.
A sneaky FantasyScore option with just three games to choose from is selecting two goalies from the same game. You essentially guarantee the three-point win bonus, and if there aren't a lot of goals, your goalie totals will have a solid return.
