This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Saturday's two-game NHL slate features a pair of Game 2s. While Islanders and Capitals players will make for popular picks as their teams go for 2-0 leads in their respective series, the Penguins and Lightning both employ several top performers from the first round eager to prove they can step their game up and provide value at the next stage.
GOALIE
Matt Murray, PIT at WAS ($34): While they failed to nab a road victory, the Penguins largely outplayed the Capitals in Game 1. The difference in goaltending quality was a major reason for Washington's ability to ultimately prevail in overtime, but a slight improvement from Murray should be enough to earn him and his team a win in the rematch. At just $34, it's worth taking a chance on this scenario unfolding.
Goalie to Avoid:
Thomas Greiss, NYI at TB ($34): Greiss was bailed out by a combination of strong offense from Islanders skaters and terrible play from opposing netminder Ben Bishop in Game 1, but allowing three goals rarely leads to a road playoff victory. He has been demonstrably worse away from the Barclays Center all season, and is unlikely to be so lucky again facing a Lightning team desperate to avoid an 0-2 hole.
CENTER
John Tavares, NYI at TB ($34): While Pittsburgh's pair of high-profile centers has to deal with Braden Holtby, Tavares will likely battle Ben Bishop, who was pulled after surrendering four goals on 13 shots in the series opener. The Islanders captain played a role in two of those tallies, and has six goals and five assists through seven appearances this postseason. Even with Bishop likely to put up a better effort in this one, his odds of fully containing Tavares are small.
Center to Avoid:
Sidney Crosby, PIT at WAS ($31): Crosby was terrible in Game 1, taking just one shot while finishing with a minus-3 rating. While he'll likely step things up in the rematch, the Penguins captain has a long way to go to live up to his hefty $31 price.
WING
T.J. Oshie, WAS vs. PIT ($24): Keep riding the hot hand. Oshie broke out with a hat trick in Game 1, and should keep that momentum going moving forward. Washington still isn't getting much scoring outside its top line, making the cheapest member of that trio a sensible option against a Penguins defense that looked shaky in their first encounter.
Shane Prince, NYI at TB ($12): Prince has already made his mark on this series with a pair of tallies in Game 1, and there's little reason not to go back to the 2011 second-rounder at the minimum price. Utilizing Prince gives you the room to spend big elsewhere, and his output Wednesday inspires confidence in his ability to outperform other players in this price range.
Wings to Avoid:
Patric Hornqvist, PIT at WAS ($26): Following another disappointing outing Thursday, Hornqvist has just one assist with no goals in his past five games. The Swedish winger has gone cold at the worst time, yet still costs $26.
Justin Williams, WAS vs. PIT ($17): Big things were expected from Williams due to his postseason pedigree, but the 2016 version seems to have aged past the point of productivity. The veteran has exceeded 4.0 fantasy points just once in seven tries.
DEFENSE
Victor Hedman, TB vs. NYI ($21): Hedman lit the lamp in each of his last two regular season meetings with the Islanders, and picked up largely where he left off with an assist in the series opener Wednesday. The Swede basically holds a monopoly on offensive production from the Lightning blue line with Anton Stralman out, so he should find himself right at home in what is shaping up to be a high-scoring series. Don't let an underwhelming first round against a Red Wings team stocked with defensively-responsible forwards keep you from reaping the benefits of Hedman's offensive aptitude.
Matt Niskanen, WAS vs. PIT ($16): He has flown largely under the radar, but Niskanen is having a solid postseason with at least 7.0 fantasy points in five of his first seven appearances. The former Penguin offers a balanced mix of shots and blocks, and has yet to record a minus rating in the 2016 playoffs while skating heavy minutes on Washington's second defensive pairing. Niskanen's production won't blow you away, but he has consistently outperformed his price thus far and is showing no signs of slowing down.
Defenseman to Avoid:
Nick Leddy, NYI at TB ($18): Leddy's decent performance in Game 1 stemmed from a plus-2 rating, but the former Blackhawk is unlikely to repeat that judging by his minus-9 mark in the regular season. He doesn't provide much offense, so it's tough to see how Leddy will be able to justify his $18 price tag against a Lightning team desperate to even the series.
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