This article is part of our FantasyAces NHL series.
Here are my recommendations on FantasyAces for Friday's games.
There are only two games on the slate, but the matchups contain some compelling players to choose from.
Center
Sidney Crosby ($6,000) – With so much on the line for the Pens and in a hotly contested race for the league's individual scoring race, this selection is a no-brainer. A number of players and teams don't have much to play for, but the Pens' center has got all the motivation he needs to come up big on Friday night against a hated division rival. This game will truly have a playoff atmosphere and I expect Sid the Kid to be dominant.
Wingers
Scott Hartnell ($5,050) – The rugged winger is among the most feared power forwards in the game and has managed to put together another signature campaign with 27 goals, 58 points and 98 PIMs in 75 games. In case observers think he might coast to the finish line, he is reminding everyone that he is just not wired that way. He has been at his combative best while producing five points over his last seven games, which have had no playoff implications for Columbus.
Anders Lee ($4,650) – Even though he has had cameos in two prior seasons, Lee is still considered a rookie. Other first-year players may have overshadowed him this season, but he still ranks among the top rookies with his impressive 25 goals. He snapped a five-game scoreless streak with an impressive two-goal effort against the Flyers on Tuesday, when he played almost 21 minutes. That is a good indication of the confidence that the Isles' coaches have in this sharpshooter.
Nick Foligno ($5,350) – The big winger has managed to stay healthy while many of his teammates were hit by a team-wide injury bug that wrote off the Jackets' season some time ago. Foligno rose above these trials and smashed through his previous personal best to lead Columbus with 30 goals and 42 assists in 77 games. He is a self-motivated player who will find extra incentive to perform against his former hometown team, the lowly Sabres, and will be anxious to further pad his stats.
Tyler Ennis ($4,250) – The Sabres' season has been one with very few highlights. One player who has not succumbed to the negativity is this diminutive, yet fiercely competitive winger. He has produced his third 20-goal season in five full years with the Sabres. He needed to finish with a flurry and has done just that in producing two goals and four assists in his last six games.
Defenders
Nick Leddy ($4,250) – Leddy has been such a consistent two-way force that has been critical to all the good progress made by the Isles this season. They have received much more than the 10 goals and 24 assists that he has chipped in offensively. Leddy is one of the leaders on this revitalized club and will log a ton of ice-time in all situations in such a critical game against the Pens on Friday. He heads into that tilt on a hot streak, with five points in his last four games.
David Savard ($2,850) – Savard has quietly improved all season long and moved his way up the Jackets' depth chart to the point where he is usually among their leaders in total playing time on a nightly basis. That has also included lots of power-play time and helps to explain his career-highs in goals (11) and points (33). He has four assists in his last six games and has a good chance to build on those numbers against Buffalo, who have the league's worst power play.
Flex
Brandon Dubinsky ($4,600) – Dubinsky has lost 35 games to injury this season and, as a result, is unlikely to be the first Jackets player you might consider in most fantasy leagues. However, he has been quite productive when healthy, producing 34 points in 45 games. He is also the team's leading scorer in the last six games, lighting the lamp three times and added six helpers.
Goaltender
Marc-Andre Fleury ($7,750) – The much-maligned Pens' starting goalie is struggling with his game at a critical juncture in this season and making a lot of his fans nervous because he has also displayed this tendency in recent playoff appearances. There is not much good to choose from in recent games, with four of his last five starts resulting in at least four goals allowed. He may need this win on Friday, not just to help the Pens make the playoffs, but also to show that he can still come up with a clutch effort. He and the Penguins need it badly.
