This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
The NHL Conference Finals continue to move along quickly. Here, we'll look at Tuesday and Wednesday's games. One of these series may end soon, but until then, here are some players to target for your daily fantasy lineups:
GOALIE
Pekka Rinne, NAS vs. ANA ($8,800): Yes, Rinne endured his first bad game of the playoffs in Game 2. However, for perspective's sake, that still leaves him with a 1.62 GAA and a .942 save percentage in the postseason. During the regular season, the Predators allowed a mere 2.46 goals per game at home, and Nashville also had a 24-9-8 home record. Meanwhile, Anaheim went 17-15-9 on the road.
CENTER
Ryan Getzlaf, ANA at NAS ($7,700): Getzlaf is a strong candidate for the Conn Smythe, with 18 points in 13 playoff games after tallying three assists in Game 2. Three of his points have come with the extra man, while he had 20 power-play points in 74 regular-season games. Rinne isn't likely to completely collapse after one poor start, but it's a reminder he's not infallible. A player like Getzlaf, who has averaged 13.8 fantasy points per game, isn't going to be too concerned about Rinne.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau, OTT at PIT ($5,000): Obviously, Pageau's claim to fame is his four-goal game. While that showed his potential, he hasn't been a one-hit wonder this postseason. Since his big effort, he's tallied four more points and 21 shots on goal in six games. Heading into Monday's game, the Penguins had allowed 35.2 shots on net per game this postseason, and allowed 32.6 shots on goal during the regular season – third most in the NHL. And to add to his value, Pageau blocked five shots Monday.
WING
Mike Hoffman, OTT vs. PIT ($6,500): Hoffman started 36.9 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, second most among Ottawa forwards. He made good use of that starting position, tallying 61 points in 74 games, including 26 power-play points. Marc-Andre Fleury's regular season was not on the same level as Hoffman's, with a 3.02 GAA and a .909 save percentage. Hoffman has also played well in the postseason, directing at least three shots on goal in nine of his last 12 games.
Jake Guentzel, PIT at OTT ($6,300): Guentzel skates on Pittsburgh's top line alongside Sidney Crosby, which has paid off quite well for him. After ending the regular season with a five-game point streak, he's amassed 14 points in 14 playoffs games. That includes nine goals, which leads all playoff scorers. He's averaged 12.2 fantasy points per game and has started 36.3 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone.
Viktor Arvidsson, NAS vs. ANA ($5,500): It's been a little while since Arvidsson scored a goal, but he's still the same guy who struck for 31 goals on 246 shots this season. However, he does have three points in his last three contests and 28 shots on net in his last 10. The Ducks have allowed 32.9 shots on net per game during the playoffs, and John Gibson sports a 2.80 GAA and a .911 save percentage during the playoffs. Arvidsson's slight slump has caused his price to drop, but that just provides you with a nice potential value play if he returns to his scoring form.
Nick Ritchie, ANA at NAS ($3,400): Ritchie started 37.5 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, third most of any Duck. Usually, he skates on the third line, but got a few looks in Game 2 alongside Getzlaf. If this continues, it could be quite beneficial to his fantasy value. Ritchie scored a goal Sunday, and has two goals in his last three contests. On top of that, he's put 15 shots on goal in his last five outings.
DEFENSEMEN
Mattias Ekholm, NAS vs. ANA ($3,800): Talk about a guy who's easy to overlook. Ekholm is overshadowed by some of his teammates, so you may not notice he has a three-game point streak or five points in his last six contests. He's also averaged 2:47 per game on the power play in those games. Ekholm is quite a bit cheaper than his bigger-named blueline partners, so consider him more of a low-risk upside play.
Olli Maatta, PIT vs. OTT ($3,400): Maatta is quite cheap for a top-pairing defenseman. That's not entirely surprising because he hasn't scored a ton, although he did have three assists in the Washington series, and added one more Monday. Additionally, he's notched 11 shots on goal in his last five games. His power-play time has also picked up in the playoffs, with the Senators laying claim to the 27th-ranked penalty kill since the All-Star break. And if Justin Schultz is out for Game 3, Maatta's power-play time could increase even more. Given the Finn's price and his current role, there's not a lot of risk putting him in your lineup with real upside potential.
