This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Thursday's showdown between the Penguins and Capitals is accompanied by Friday's pair of Western Conference series openers to create a three-game NHL slate. The first game represents a contrast in styles, as Pittsburgh advanced through the first round thanks to offensive production while Washington ground out a low-scoring series. In addition to predicting which team's terms that matchup will be played on, it's important not to get caught up in the media's superstar-driven narrative, as the best value can often be found in the form of top secondary scorers.
GOALIE
Pekka Rinne, NSH at SJ ($33) - This slate features the three top offensive teams in the NHL, so it's best to steer clear of the goaltenders facing Dallas, Washington and Pittsburgh. Fortunately, Rinne allows you to for cheap. He's on the road against the worst home team to make the postseason, and should be locked in after a 36-save road masterpiece to eliminate Anaheim in Wednesday's Game 7.
Goalie to Avoid:
Braden Holtby, WAS vs. PIT ($39) - While Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist was likely at less than 100 percent after taking a stick to the eye early in the series, the Penguins still looked impressive in lighting the lamp 11 times in that series' final two games. Holtby played well against a suspect Flyers offense, but Pittsburgh has shown that it doesn't matter who's in net when its top scorers are on.
CENTER
Evgeni Malkin, PIT at WAS ($29) - Malkin was nearly unstoppable after returning from an upper-body injury for the final four games of the first round, tallying two goals and five assists in that time. He's still cheaper than teammate Sidney Crosby ($32) despite posting a higher average number of points per game against the Rangers and likely will get the added benefit of getting away from Washington's top defensive pairing at even strength skating on the second line.
Center to Avoid:
Nick Bonino, PIT at WAS ($22) - Bonino has definitely upped his production since Phil Kessel was moved to his line, but at the end of the day he still totaled just nine goals and 20 helpers in the regular season. He simply lacks the offensive aptitude expected of a $22 center, and facing elite netminder Braden Holtby doesn't help his case.
WING
Troy Brouwer, STL at DAL ($18) - Brouwer should be brimming with confidence after potting the deciding goal in Game 7 against the Blackhawks, and he has momentum after getting a point in each of his last two games. He's a solid under-the-radar play as part of a deep Blues forward corps facing a Dallas team that allowed 16 goals in its last four games, especially since the second-line winger is demonstrably cheaper than St. Louis' three other main options at the position.
T.J. Oshie, WAS vs. PIT ($22) - Oshie finished with just four points in six first-round games as the Capitals struggled to score against Philadelphia, but he should find more open ice in what promises to be a fast-paced series against the Penguins. The American winger has a couple favorable splits from the regular season working in his favor, as he buried three goals in five meetings with Pittsburgh and recorded 30 of his 51 points at the Verizon Center. In a series in which Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin will hog the vast majority of attention on and off the ice, other talented scoring options like Oshie likely will end up being the deciding factors.
Wings to Avoid:
Patric Hornqvist, PIT at WAS ($25) - Hornqvist has underperformed his exorbitant price after opening the postseason with a hat trick, totaling only one assist in four games since. If you insist on rolling with an expensive Penguins winger, you may as well drop an extra $2 to get the red-hot Phil Kessel ($27) in your lineup.
Patrick Sharp, DAL vs. STL ($22) - Sharp has tallied a meager 8.0 total fantasy points in three home playoff games, and that production was against a Minnesota team that lacks St. Louis' defensive tenacity. Stay away from the veteran winger at the American Airlines Center until his play dictates otherwise.
DEFENSE
Kevin Shattenkirk, STL at DAL ($21) - Shattenkirk has expanded his game in the playoffs, blocking at least three shots in five of seven games against the Blackhawks after averaging less than 1.6 per game in the regular season. That uptick in defensive production makes a huge difference in the offensive-minded blueliner's value, as adding his shots and blocks gives Shattenkirk an extremely high baseline without even considering his contributions on the scoresheet. This complete version of Shattenkirk is too good to pass up at $21.
Kris Russell, DAL vs. STL ($19) - Russell was highly effective in his lone meeting with St. Louis as a member of the Stars, totaling two assists and a plus-1 rating en route to 13.0 fantasy points. The two-way defenseman earned a plus-5 rating against Minnesota in the first round and offers a terrific mix of production at both ends for a reasonable price. This series likely will be lower-scoring than Dallas' first round against Minnesota, creating a perfect environment for Russell to excel while some of the more goal-reliant options struggle.
Defensemen to Avoid:
John Klingberg, DAL vs. STL ($19) - The Blues had all the answers against Klingberg this season, holding him without a point in four meetings. Until the Swede proves that things can be different this time around, he should be kept out of lineups.
Brent Burns, SJ vs. NSH ($34) - Burns is a terrific player, but he will have trouble justifying his $34 price against the Predators. His value stems largely from offensive production despite being a defenseman, so it's troubling that Nashville seemed to find a formula to stop the bearded blueliner in the regular season, holding him to just one assist with no goals and a minus-3 rating in three meetings.
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