This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Can the Red Wings or Blackhawks afford to go down 2-0 in the series even when they're headed home? That's the biggest question heading into Friday night. That the battle of the Central Division heavyweights is a tightly contested grind came to the surprise of no one, but Game 1 between the Wings and Lightning displayed a level of hostility that was unexpected.
Detroit needed some luck to make the playoffs, but with Pavel Datsyuk retiring from the NHL an open secret, the team will be competing hard to ensure Datsyuk doesn't leave the game with a whimpering first-round exit. The Lightning offense struggled this season but managed to win 21 one-goal games, sixth most in the league, but tied for first in the league with 27 one-goal wins is Detroit.
The Blackhawks have, simply put, played a lot of hockey the last few seasons. Since the lockout shortened season in 2013, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane made the Western Conference finals three straight times and won the Stanley Cup twice, playing no fewer than 19 games in each playoff run, and that's not mentioning the Olympics sandwiched between. They're tired and certainly looked it in Game 1. The Madhouse can be intimidating, but going down 2-0 against a tough team is a pretty big hole from which to dig out.
GOALIE
Brian Elliott, STL vs. CHI ($37) - He was excellent in Game 1 and the Blues looked very much like the better team. Although Chicago will have Duncan Keith back in the lineup, the Blues should still have the upper hand with the stronger squad and last change. Elliott isn't a sure thing, of course, but the series should be a low scoring affair anyway. Corey Crawford ($33) is also an attractive option for this reason as well, but only for those who believe the series will be tied, 1-1. Elliott has the ability to get hot and shut the door.
Goalie to Avoid
Ben Bishop, TB vs. DET ($42) - Yours truly picked the Lightning to win the series, but after watching Game 1, it's clear this is going to be close. A Lightning win in Game 2 is no sure thing, even if the Red Wings' goaltending can implode at any moment, and Friday's most expensive starter seems like a bad deal. Brian Elliott offers the same kind of risk for a cheaper price, and whoever the Ducks choose to start has the best chance to notch a win. Thomas Greiss ($32) and Roberto Luongo ($34) seem like the poorest plays considering how many goals were scored in Game 1.
CENTER
Robby Fabbri, STL vs. CHI ($15) - Fabbri didn't register a point in Game 1, but finished with two shots, three hits and 19:11 of ice time, including 4:02 on the power play, second only to Jaden Schwartz among Blues forwards. Jori Lehtera ($12) is also a great value pick because he plays between Schwartz and Vladimir Tarasenko, but he doesn't get the prime scoring opportunities like Fabbri, who has more offensive talent anyway. The series will be low-scoring, but everyone's looking for the big guns to deliver when there's always that one young player who's just waiting to break out. It happens every playoffs.
Center to Avoid:
Dylan Larkin, DET at TB ($19) - Maybe he's just not ready yet. The 19-year-old rookie had a rough playoff debut, playing just 11:30 after averaging 16:32 of ice time during the regular season. Game 1 was surprisingly physical, which probably caught Larkin a little off guard, seeing how Braydon Coburn managed to toss him around. The Red Wings stumbled into the playoffs but won't go away easily; on the other hand, if Larkin can't find his groove it will be a short series. Remember how easily Tyler Seguin was pushed off the puck during his early years with the Bruins in the playoffs? It looks like the same thing here.
WING
Corey Perry, ANH vs. NSH ($27) - Perry and the Ducks came out on the losing end the last time the teams met, in a six-game series in 2011. During those six games, Perry scored two goals and six assists, and was a thorn in the Predators' side. Now that Perry and Ryan Getzlaf ($28) are no longer on the same line, it makes them far more difficult to contain, and if Nashville's top pairing draws Getzlaf, can the other four keep Perry out of the crease? The Ducks are the favorite, and Perry's in a good position to exact some revenge.
Jonathan Drouin, TB vs. DET ($12) - Other than Nikita Kucherov ($25), who scored two goals, Drouin was easily the Lightning's best winger, mucking it up in the crease and battling along the boards. If he keeps playing this way, Jon Cooper will gladly give him more than 17 minutes a game. Detroit's goaltending is beatable, and it won't be long before Drouin exposes it. He's playing like he has something to prove, and without Steven Stamkos (blood clot) they really need him to shine.
Wings to Avoid:
Ondrej Palat, TB vs. DET ($21) - Make no mistake, Palat's a good player, but he's more of the dependable, two-way variety than the scoring variety. He saw a 23-point drop in points during an injury-filled season, and remember that he was the lowest-scoring player on the triplets line. Nikita Kucherov and Tyler Johnson ($18) will do most of the heavy lifting on offense.
Marian Hossa, CHI at STL ($19) - Strong two-way players are counted on even more in the playoffs, where one small slip can lead to a series-changing mistake, especially in the defensive zone. That's why Ondrej Palat and Hossa get the big minutes, but also why they're not really as concerned with scoring, making them mediocre DFS plays. Hossa is invaluable to the Blackhawks, but after a pretty dramatic drop in points (0.74 point-per-game last year, 0.52 this year), he seems more miss than hit.
DEFENSE
Duncan Keith, CHI at STL ($24) - After missing Game 1 due to a suspension, Keith should be well-rested and motivated after the Blues threw 41 hits before winning in overtime. Keith is a difference maker and should provide a spark for the Blackhawks; at the least, he should help them break out of the defensive zone, considering the concerning amount of time the Blues managed to pin them in their own zone.
Nick Leddy, NYI at FLA ($14) - Leddy will definitely be the minutes played leader among Islanders defensemen, and if Game 1 is any indication, the defense is going to be active on offense. Having Travis Hamonic ($13) back in the lineup helps free Leddy to possibly contribute a little more on offense. Even though Leddy scored just five goals this season, he also had a career-high 19 power-play points. Marek Zidlicky ($12), a healthy scratch for Game 1, is not a threat to take that job, either.
Defensemen to Avoid:
Colton Parayko, STL vs. CHI ($20) - He had a brilliant first season with the Blues, but it looks like Ken Hitchcock will go with a three-headed dragon of Alex Pietrangelo, Kevin Shattenkirk and Jay Bouwmeester, the only defensemen who logged more than 21 minutes through 71 minutes of play. There's little chance Parayko's ice time will exceed that of Hitchcock's preferred (veteran) trio, which makes Parayko a low-upside option.
Calvin de Haan, NYI at FLA ($15) - With Hamonic back in the lineup, de Haan bows out of the spotlight, which is good for him and the team because he's not top pairing material, but bad for DFS players because he plays fewer minutes. But, truth be told, de Haan doesn't have a lot of fantasy upside to begin with, so it shouldn't be difficult to leave him off DFS rosters.
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