This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
GOALIE
Tuukka Rask, BOS vs. OTT ($29): The last couple games have not gone great for Rask, but in his seven prior games he had a 0.78 GAA and a .970 save percentage. On the season, he posted a 2.23 GAA, and the Bruins only allowed a mere 26.8 shots on net per contest. The Senators, meanwhile, managed 2.51 goals per game, which ranked in the bottom 10. Rask is at home, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him turn things around after two off outings.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Frederik Andersen, TOR vs. WAS ($33): Yes, Andersen has picked up two wins in a row, but he has also allowed three goals in each game of this series. On top of that, he's faced 120 shots on goal in those contests, and during the regular season the Leafs gave up 32.6 shots on net per contest. The fact this game is in Toronto doesn't help Andersen's cause a ton, either. Toronto allowed an average of 31.8 shots on net at home, and the Capitals averaged 3.24 goals for on the road.
[Join a Yahoo Daily Fantasy Hockey contest now]
CENTER
Ryan Getzlaf, ANA at CGY ($22): Getzlaf may not have notched a point in Game 3, but that ended a seven-game point streak. He's averaged a mightily impressive 8.0 fantasy points per game, and he already has four points in this series. Brian Elliott only managed a .910 save percentage this season, and in his last 14 contests he has a 2.92 GAA and a .904 save percentage. The Flames are on the verge of a sweep, and Getzlaf could make that a reality with another good game.
CENTER TO AVOID
Mikael Granlund, MIN at STL ($22): 20 of Granlund's 69 points came on the power play this season, which is not a good thing in this matchup. The Blues had the league's best penalty kill after the All-Star break. St. Louis only gave up 27.4 shots on net at home as well. Jake Allen also has a 0.91 GAA and a .981 save percentage in this series, and he has a 1.59 GAA and a .948 save percentage since the beginning of March. Allen is as hot as any goalie, so it's best to stay away.
WING
Marcus Johansson, WAS at TOR ($17): Johansson started 36.6 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, which is a point in his favor given that the Leafs have allowed 32.6 shots and 2.85 goals per game. He also played 2:54 a night with the extra man, and after the All-Star break Toronto had the 20th-ranked penalty kill. Johansson has a point in back-to-back games, and in his last 19 games he has 20 points, including eight on the power play.
Alexander Steen, STL vs. MIN ($17): Since the All-Star break, the Wild have allowed 2.94 goals per contest, and on the road this year they gave up 2.76 goals and 33.0 shots on net. Steen had 16 power-play points in 76 games and has seen plenty of time with the man advantage lately. This has been a good series for Steen so far (he has three points), and unless Minnesota clamps down to avoid a sweep, this matchup looks favorable.
WINGS TO AVOID
James van Riemsdyk, TOR vs. WAS ($21): So Washington hasn't been as stout defensively as expected in this series, but let's not throw out an entire season worth of data. The Capitals allowed 2.16 goals per game, which topped the league. Braden Holtby had a 2.07 GAA and a .925 save percentage. If they start playing like they did in the regular season, it would put a real damper in Toronto's offense, and since van Riemsdyk is their highest-priced winger, he would lose the most appeal from a fantasy perspective.
Nino Niederreiter, MIN at STL ($18): Here's a foreboding fact for the Wild: after the All-Star break, the Blues allowed a league-low 1.88 goals per game. That's staggeringly low, and their goalies had a collective .937 save percentage in that time. It was noted previously how well Allen has played recently, and in this series in particular. Niederreiter has certainly felt the impact of that, as he's been held scoreless in the series.
DEFENSEMEN
Kevin Shattenkirk, WAS at TOR ($23): After moving to the Capitals, he averaged 4:05 per game with the extra man in 19 contests, tallying seven points in that time. He also started 42.1 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, the most of any Capital, and a rather large number for a defenseman. Shattenkirk has certainly been involved offensively in this series, as he's notched 14 shots on goal. However, he's also blocked seven shots, and the Maple Leafs ranked third in shot attempts per 60 minutes this season (60.5).
Dion Phaneuf, OTT at BOS ($16): Speaking of shot attempts per 60 minutes, the Bruins topped the league in that category (61.3). That means plenty of opportunities to get in front of the puck for Phaneuf, who blocked 156 shots this season. He's already blocked eight shots, but he can also contribute offensively as well. Phaneuf tallied 156 shots on goal and played 2:38 a game with the extra man, tallying 16 power-play points in that time.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Ryan Suter, MIN at STL ($19): Suter does have a couple points in this series, but he's only averaged 6.3 fantasy points per game, a good (but not great) average, and he only has one goal in his last 28 games. Additionally, he blocked 102 shots, which is also fine but not terribly impressive, and the Blues actually ranked in the bottom six in shot attempts per 60 minutes.
Jake Gardiner, TOR vs. WAS ($18): During the regular season, Gardiner only tallied 127 shots on goal, and he only has one goal in his last 26 games. The Capitals, in addition to allowing less goals per game than any team, had the seventh-ranked penalty kill. Again, if Washington starts looking like they did defensively during the regular season, that would not bode well for Gardiner. On top of that, he only blocked 83 shots in 82 games.
