This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Friday's games have been rolled into Thursday's DraftKings slate, giving owners six teams worth of players to pick from. The Predators can make history by advancing to their first-ever conference-finals appearance with a win against the Blues, and even with St. Louis playing host, Pekka Rinne and his merry band are the ones who have all the momentum. The Senators can put the Rangers on a brink with a win of their own, but they'll have to beat the King on Broadway to do so. Meanwhile, the Oilers head into a key Game 5 against the Ducks having blown a 2-0 series lead and trying to avoid a third straight loss.
GOALIE
Henrik Lundqvist, NYR vs. OTT ($8,200): Excluding the time late in Game 2 when the hockey gods touched Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Lundqvist has allowed just three goals in two games against the Senators, and he's lost just once at the Garden in these playoffs. At 35 years old, it's not surprising at all that his regular-season numbers took a dip this year, but he's still unbeatable at his best. Since allowing seven goals in Games 2 and 3 against Montreal, Lundqvist has held the opposition to two or fewer goals in every game but that aforementioned one. As for the two other goalies playing at home, neither John Gibson nor Jake Allen have been particularly reliable in Round 2, and both face dangerous offensive teams.
CENTER
Connor McDavid, EDM at ANH ($8,200): He scored in his second straight game in Game 4, and linemate Leon Draisaitl added two helpers, giving the Oilers' top unit their mojo back. McDavid's the fastest player in the NHL, and the series' north-south speed has really catered to his game. Ryan Kesler has only sort of managed to contain McDavid, who's still arguably the best player left standing in the Western Conference. McDavid has faced pressure very well in his career, and the Oilers go into a key Game 5 trying to avoid a third straight loss.
Mika Zibanejad, NYR vs. OTT ($5,300): He's been a nightmare against his former team, racking up three points in his past two games, and the Swede currently leads the Rangers with seven playoff points. Although Derek Stepan is still the ostensible No. 1 center, Zibanejad has been the more productive of the pair, and he certainly has more offensive potential. Even if he doesn't score, he can still be a physical player who's willing to sacrifice his body to block shots.
WING
Leon Draisaitl, EDM at ANA ($6,900): He added another two assists in Game 4, giving him seven points in the series. Whatever illness the German winger was suffering from before is clearly no longer a concern, and it helps that he plays alongside an elite linemate in McDavid, who's managed to score in two straight games, which means the deep Ducks defense hadn't been able to contain the Oilers' top duo. Gibson has not been sharp this series, which is even more good news for the Oilers.
Viktor Arvidsson, NAS at STL ($6,400): He's gotten much better as this series has gone on, including firing 10 shots on goal in two home games. Arvidsson's not the best at picking corners, nor does he have a sneaky release, but he shoots a lot of pucks, and that's a big reason why he's so reliable in fantasy. He's averaged three shots per game and has seen his ice time grow by nearly two minutes (18:54 from 17:09) through eight playoff contests.
Jakob Silfverberg, ANA vs. EDM ($5,800): He's scored in every single game in the series, including Wednesday's overtime winner to even up the series at 2-2. With five goals in four games, Silfverberg's undoubtedly been the Ducks' MVP this round, and there's no question that the team will protect him in the expansion draft. An undervalued fantasy play, he's registered at least three shots on goal in every single playoff game.
DEFENSE
Erik Karlsson, OTT at NYR ($7,500): Coach Guy Boucher was pretty critical of Ottawa's abysmal performance in Game 3, and the fiery Karlsson certainly feels the same way. He finished with a minus-3 rating, easily his worst performance of the playoffs. Those games don't happen twice in a row with great players, and a win will give Ottawa a commanding 3-1 series lead. He's still easily the best defenseman in the playoffs right now, and Karlsson has two points and 10 shots on goal through three games against the Rangers.
Ryan Ellis, NAS at STL ($5,500): All aboard the Ryan Ellis train! The undersized defenseman scored 20 goals this season, and he's tallied in three straight games, giving him three goals and two assists in four games against the Blues. It seems as though he's singlehandedly winning this series, giving how close the games have been. The one downer is that the Predators play defense by committee, which means Ellis isn't always Peter Laviolette's first choice, but Ellis has shown a knack for pulling through when the team needs him most. The Predators could advance to their first-ever conference-finals berth if they win.
