This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
GOALIE
Jake Allen, STL vs. NAS ($8,500): Yes, Game 1 didn't go great for Allen, but in the postseason he has a 1.87 GAA and a .944 save percentage. Beyond that, after the All-Star break the Blues allowed a league-low 1.88 goals per game. St. Louis also had the league's best penalty kill in that time. It's entirely possible Game 1 was just an off-night for Allen, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him bounce back at home.
CENTER
Paul Stastny, STL vs. NAS ($5,600): Stastny has averaged 9.6 fantasy points per game, and in his two playoff games he's tallied two points and six shots on goal. While Pekka Rinne was outstanding in the first round, he allowed three goals on 30 shots in Game 1, and during the regular season he had a .918 save percentage. On top of that, the Predators allowed 2.90 goals and 31.4 on the road this year. Stastny also had 13 power-play points in 66 games, and Nashville had the 20th-ranked penalty kill after the All-Star break.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, EDM at ANA ($4,300): Nugent-Hopkins tallied 200 shots on goal during the regular season and has notched 19 in the playoffs. The Ducks have allowed 34.0 shots on net per game in the playoffs, and in two of his last three starts, John Gibson has given up four goals. RNH's line controlled the play quite well in the first round, and with Ryan Kesler occupied with trying to stop Connor McDavid, Nugent-Hopkins might be able to avoid a tough defensive matchup.
WING
Jaden Schwartz, STL vs. NAS ($6,500): Schwartz played a part in solving Rinne in Game 1, notching a goal on four shots. That was a continuation of an impressive postseason, as he has six points in six playoff games. This comes after he tallied 17 points in his final 20 regular season contests. The Predators allowed 2.78 goals per game after the All-Star break, the most of any team left in the postseason. If Rinne doesn't return to his first-round form, this matchup may not be as formidable as it originally appeared.
Viktor Arvidsson, NAS at STL ($6,200): Arvidsson put 246 shots on net in 80 games, making him one of the most-prolific shooters in the NHL this year. He also started 35.2 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, fourth most of any Predators forward playing in this series. Arvidsson had four points in the first round, and in the playoffs thus far the Blues have given up 35.7 shots on net per contest.
Rickard Rakell, ANA vs. EDM ($5,700): Rakell averaged a robust 12.4 fantasy points per contest, thanks largely to the fact he scored 33 goals in 71 games this year. He's added two more goals this postseason, and five points total. Rakell started 36.4 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, and he also averaged 2:24 per game with the extra man. After the All-Star break, the Oilers have the 25th-ranked penalty kill, so perhaps Rakell will find some luck on the power play.
Vladimir Sobotka, STL vs. NAS ($3,800): Sobotka only played in one regular season game, so we've seen him much more in the playoffs this year. However, overall he's been quite successful, as he has five points in his seven total games this season. He's also averaged 2:35 per game with the extra man. The relatively scanty amount of information we have on Sobotka means he's rather cheap, and because of that he has real upside potential.
DEFENSEMEN
Colton Parayko, STL vs. NAS ($4,400): Parayko has three points this postseason, including two goals on 19 shots. Additionally, in his last 20 games he's averaged 22:33 in ice time, with his minutes ticking up a bit after the trade of Kevin Shattenkirk. During the regular season, he notched 180 shots on goal, and he also picked up 117 blocks shots. The Predators attempted 58.6 shots per 60 minutes, eighth most in the NHL, and Parayko has blocked 16 pucks this postseason.
Kris Russell, EDM at ANA ($3,200): Russell is a prolific puck blocker, notching 213 blocked shots in 66 games. That led the league, and in the playoffs he's added 29 blocked shots in seven contests. He doesn't add anything offensively, but at this price he doesn't have to. Just blocking his normal number of shots should suffice for your fantasy lineup.
