This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
The next two-game NHL slate consists of Monday's Game 5 in St. Louis and Tuesday's Game 6 in Tampa Bay. While most of the players involved have established their value over long playoff runs, there are still market inefficiencies to exploit due to changes in role and momentum. The players below have the best chance of performing well based on those metrics.
GOALIE
Jake Allen, STL vs. SJ ($29) - Allen's 31-save Game 4 performance was exactly what the Blues needed to break San Jose's momentum and was more than likely enough to earn him another start Monday. The up-and-coming netminder's 2.35 GAA and .920 save percentage are remarkable for $29, and playing him allows for bigger spending on the rest of your lineup as he is tied for the least expensive among the likely choices to defend the crease during this slate. Get Allen in your lineup before his newly gained status as Blues starter forces his price to skyrocket.
Goalie to Avoid:
Marc-Andre Fleury, PIT at TB ($31) - Fleury struggled in his 2016 playoff debut, surrendering four goals on 25 shots in Game 5. He looked rusty in his first extensive action since March 31, and Game 6 on the road is hardly the ideal environment fir shaking off rust.
CENTER
Paul Stastny, STL vs. SJ ($16) - At just $16, Stastny offers strong bang for the buck considering he has mustered 11 points over the last 13 games. He came alive with a pair of assists in Game 4 after the Blues reshuffled their lines and should continue producing while skating in a top-six role. With a .82 point per game career average, Stastny is considerably more productive than any of the alternatives available in this price range.
Center to Avoid:
Sidney Crosby, PIT at TB ($25) - Just when it looked like Crosby was turning things around after goals in consecutive games, he went back to his old unproductive ways with a total of 1.0 fantasy point in the next two games combined. He still has just two goals in his last 12 appearances and has consistently disappointed owners throughout the playoffs.
WING
Nikita Kucherov, TB vs. PIT ($29) - Kucherov has singlehandedly been carrying the Lightning and fantasy owners alike to victory over the last three games, with three multi-point performances for two goals and five assists in that torrid stretch. The streaking Russian has lit the lamp 11 times in 15 appearances this postseason and should be present in all lineups regardless of price based on his consistent dominance.
Troy Brouwer, STL vs. SJ ($17) - Brouwer has been tremendous in the last 10 games, lighting the lamp six times while dishing out four assists. He was one of the many Blues energized by sweeping strategic changes heading into Game 4 and should carry that momentum into the next contest back home. The bang for the buck is too good to pass up considering he still costs just $17 despite consistently getting on the scoresheet.
Wing to Avoid:
Vladimir Tarasenko, STL vs. SJ ($25) - Tarasenko has cooled off at the worst time, failing to pick up a point through four games in the Western Conference finals. If he couldn't get things going during St. Louis' six-goal outburst in Game 4, he might not be able to at all.
DEFENSE
Brent Burns, SJ at STL ($34) - Burns outscored three more goals and had a plus/minus that was 15 points higher on the road compared to at home in the regular season, and he has followed those trends in this series with all three of his points coming in St. Louis. Fortunately for him, that will be the venue for this pivotal Game 5. He has been glorious away from home all season, so grab the bearded blueliner in what might be his last road tilt of 2015-16.
Justin Schultz, PIT at TB ($13) - Schultz has quietly stepped up as a consistent source of low-cost production over the last three games, recording at least 8.0 fantasy points in each despite his Penguins ending up victorious only once in that span. Finding blue-line contributors like Schultz allows you to spend bigger on high-upside offensive-minded players, and the relatively high-scoring nature of both series suggests that strategy is where the best value lies.
Defensemen to Avoid:
Kris Letang, PIT at TB ($24) - Letang has been horrendous against the Lightning, totaling just a single assist and a minus-4 rating in five games. With other offensively inclined defensemen finding much greater success at the moment, it's tough to justify including him in your lineup.
Colton Parayko, STL vs. SJ ($17) - This man has been garbage throughout the Western Conference finals, totaling 11.0 fantasy points in four games. Regardless of whether you're looking for a more effective option or a cheaper one with upside, there are stronger alternatives on Parayko's own team in both categories.
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