This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
The NHL playoffs continue Saturday with a trio of evening contests. While it's important to take Game 1 trends into account, a combination of playoff pedigree and regular season success provides the surest formula for finding value in these Game 2s.
GOALIE
Braden Holtby, WAS vs. TOR ($34): While there are no sure bets in the NHL playoffs, Holtby is about as close as you can get coming off his third consecutive 40-win campaign. He's easily worth $34 agains a Maple Leafs team that barely snuck into the second wild card spot given the superiority of the team in front of him and home ice advantage. This combination of safety and affordability is rarely seen this time of year, so don't let it pass you by.
Goalie to Avoid
Frederik Andersen, TOR at WAS ($34): Andersen is priced equally to Holtby despite putting up an inferior fantasy performance in Game 1 for an underdog Toronto team. With his confidence shaken from allowing a soft overtime winner to low-skill grinder Tom Wilson, a better performance from the Dane here is unlikely.
CENTER
Ryan Getzlaf, ANH vs. CGY ($20): Getzlaf's regular season average of 8.0 fantasy points per game was second among available centers to $29 Maple Leafs pivot Auston Matthews, yet he's priced at or below the level of four other alternatives. Anaheim's franchise leader in playoff points has 101 in 105 postseason appearances after registering a goal and an assist in Game 1, so there's no doubt about his ability to deliver on the big stage. Delivering once again shouldn't be difficult against a Flames team that was one goal short of allowing the most among Western Conference playoff teams.
Center to Avoid
Evgeny Kuznetsov, WAS vs. TOR ($19): Even with an assist in Game 1, Kuznetsov has just 10 points in 27 career playoff appearances. Add in his poor form down the stretch (six points in the last 13 regular season games), and even a matchup with the defensively-deficient Maple Leafs likely won't be enough to help Kuznetsov live up to his $19 price.
WINGS
Jakob Silfverberg, ANH vs. CGY ($15): Silfverberg once again demonstrated his extra playoff gear by scoring the winner as part of a two-point performance in the series opener. The 26-year-old forward now has 25 points in 24 playoff games since the 2015 postseason, and he is in position to further build on that success coming off his most productive regular season (49 points). His $15 price is a bargain just going by his season average of 7.0 fantasy points per game, so Silfverberg's playoff pedigree makes him a no-brainer in this one.
Justin Williams, WAS vs. TOR ($18): Williams is another player whose Game 1 success shouldn't have come as a surprise to many. His 19:42 of ice time in that two-goal performance was the most the rugged veteran has seen since Feb. 25, and there's little reason to shrink his role considering Williams now has 35 goals and 52 assists in 128 playoff games to go with three Stanley Cup rings. Expect him to once again take advantage of a Toronto team that was comfortably the worst defensive outfit to make the playoffs at 2.85 goals allowed per game.
Wings to Avoid
Craig Smith, NAS at CHI ($17): Smith played just 11:12 in Game 1, indicating that the Predators don't expect him to improve on the pedestrian form that saw him post a mere 29 points in 78 games. Those willing to spend $17 on the three-time 20-goal scorer in this situation are living in the past.
Andrew Cogliano, ANH vs. CGY ($13): Cogliano still skates on the second line, but that doesn't make him underpriced at $13. His quiet series opener should've come as no surprise after he managed only two goals and four assists in the final 18 regular season contests. Paying a few extra dollars for some of his more gifted teammates should prove more than worth your while.
DEFENSEMEN
Brent Seabrook, CHI vs. NSH ($17): Seabrook topped his season ice time average of 21:57 per game by more than two minutes in the series opener, and that extensive role should pay off with the potent Blackhawks offense likely to bounce back after surprisingly getting shut out at home. The battle-tested blueliner was able to put up 6.0 fantasy points in that 1-0 loss thanks to four blocks and two shots, so some extra scoring and/or rating contributions would push him well into the double digits. While Duncan Keith possesses slightly higher upside, the $4 savings that come with using Seabrook makes him the superior value play.
Dmitry Orlov, WAS vs. TOR ($14): Orlov demonstrated his all-around ability with four shots, three blocks and a plus-1 rating in Game 1. His 33-point regular season shows that the young Russian possesses a decent ceiling, while his plus-30 rating combines with solid two-way production to give him an excellent floor for a superior Capitals team. At just $2 above the minimum, Orlov makes a strong play regardless of lineup strategy.
Defensemen to Avoid
Michael Stone, CGY at ANH ($15): While Stone did block five shots Thursday, he sacrificed significant playing time to the top pair of Mark Giordano and Dougie Hamilton. If he skates just 17:30 again in Game 2, the stay-at-home blueliner's lack of offensive output (15 points in 64 games this season) will make it difficult for him to provide much value.
Roman Josi, NSH at CHI ($25): Josi's 28:24 of ice time in Game 1 wasn't surprising, but with such great responsibility also comes greater rating-related risk. Pekka Rinne's 2.42 season GAA and 2.47 career playoff GAA suggest another shutout shouldn't be expected, and the likeliest players to score for the top-heavy Blackhawks are exactly the ones Josi is asked to shadow. On top of that, he costs at least $4 more than any alternative at his position.
