This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Thursday's NHL slate begins at 7:00 p.m. EDT and includes two games. Below, you'll find an overview of the matchups and suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
SLATE PREVIEW
The Flyers and Canucks both staved off elimination with Game 5 victories Tuesday, but the Islanders and Golden Knights still hold 3-2 leads in their respective series ahead of Thursday's Game 6s. New York has outscored Philadelphia 16-11 through five games, while Vegas holds a 16-10 edge in goals over Vancouver.
GOALIES
Vegas has consistently tilted the ice in this series, which makes Robin Lehner ($8,200) likely to pick up a victory but also limits his upside due to a lack of save opportunities. Case in point, he finished with just 15 saves in the 2-1 Game 5 loss. Despite the low volume, Lehner's a strong choice given the strong team in front of him.
With Jacob Markstrom deemed unfit to play in Game 5, Thatcher Demko ($7,600) made his first career playoff start and saved Vancouver's season with 42 saves on 43 shots. The 2014 second-rounder is viewed as Vancouver's starter of the future, but his 3.06 GAA and .905 save percentage over 27 appearances (25 starts) in the regular season certainly didn't foreshadow his masterful performance in Game 5. If he gets the nod again in Game 6, Demko's a high-risk, high-reward choice as this slate's cheapest goalie.
Semyon Varlamov ($7,800) has been up and down in four appearances this series. He has stopped 55 of 56 shots (.982 save percentage) in his two wins while allowing seven goals on 42 shots (.833 save percentage) in the other two games. Considering the Islanders have won three games in regulation and lost twice in overtime in this series, you're more likely than not to get a strong performance out of their goalie despite his recent inconsistency.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Max Pacioretty ($7,400) has four goals on 23 shots in this series, leading the Golden Knights in both categories. The power forward should continue to get pucks to the net at a high rate, as his 307 shots in the regular season led the team and ranked third league-wide behind Nathan MacKinnon (318) and Alex Ovechkin (311).
Bo Horvat ($6,400) has scored three of his league-high nine postseason goals in this series, and he just missed beating the Game 5 buzzer for what would have been his 10th goal of the playoffs. Vancouver still doesn't have a goal from a defenseman or bottom-six forward in this series, so Horvat's one of the few reliable sources of offense you can turn to on this team.
Claude Giroux ($5,600) has noticeably picked up his play recently, finishing with a goal, an assist and four shots in Game 5 after going unrewarded for five shots in Game 4. If Philadelphia's going to push this series to Game 7, expect the previously slumping veteran to play a key role.
Jordan Eberle ($5,100) has been unable to break through on any of his 15 shots against the Flyers, though he has stayed productive with four helpers. If the career 13.1 percent shooter can rediscover his scoring touch here, Eberle would be a nice value at $5,100 given his first-line role.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Islanders at Flyers
Brock Nelson (C - $5,900), Anthony Beauvillier (W - $5,300), Josh Bailey (W - $4,500)
This has been New York's most productive line this postseason, and this trio has picked up the pace recently. With four assists over the past two games, Bailey's up to a team-leading 15 points in 14 postseason games, while Nelson and Beauvillier are tied with Mathew Barzal for second at 11. Nelson has potted three goals in the past two games, bringing him to six for the playoffs, which is just one back of the team lead shared by Beauvillier and Jean-Gabriel Pageau.
Golden Knights at Canucks
Paul Stastny (C - $4,400), Jonathan Marchessault (W - $6,100), Reilly Smith (W - $5,500)
There's good value to be found on Vegas' second line, which has been oddly quiet in this series but can break out at any moment. Stastny is the cheapest member of Vegas' top-six forward group, and this could be a nice buy-low opportunity on the veteran center. His 23-38-61 line in 90 career playoff games and 17-21-38 line in 71 regular season contests suggest Stastny's due for improvement on his 1-2-3 line through 11 games this postseason. Marchessault has been held off the scoresheet since lighting the lamp in Game 1, but it feels like he's on the verge of a breakthrough. The diminutive winger still has a robust 3-5-8 line in 13 postseason games despite the slump, and he went unrewarded for a standout eight-shot performance in Game 5. Smith has been the most productive member of this line with a 4-8-12 line this postseason, including a goal and three assists against Vancouver.
Flyers at Islanders
Kevin Hayes (C - $5,300), Travis Konecny (W - $4,800), Joel Farabee (W - $3,700)
There are different reasons to like all three of these guys as the Flyers try to keep their season alive. Hayes has been Philadelphia's most productive skater this postseason, with a team-high 11 points in 14 games. Konecny held that distinction in the regular season, piling up team highs in both goals (24) and points (61) over 66 games. Farabee's quite affordable for a top-six forward, and the 20-year-old winger has chipped in a 3-2-5 line in 12 games this postseason.
DEFENSEMEN
Shea Theodore ($6,700) scored Vegas' lone goal in Game 5, stretching his point streak to seven games (2-8-10). With Vancouver unable to keep him off the scoresheet, Theodore's worth paying up for as this slate's priciest defenseman.
Alexander Edler ($5,800) has been Vancouver's best all-around defenseman in this series, totaling 15 shots, 24 blocks and three assists. His ability to rack up secondary stats gives Edler the highest floor among this slate's blueliners.
Matt Niskanen ($4,200) is no stranger to big moments, with 138 games of playoff experience under his belt. He has picked up his level recently, with an assist in Game 3 and a goal in Game 5, as well as over 24 minutes of ice time in both of those contests. The veteran Flyers blueliner scored 33 points in 68 regular season games, so he should remain a threat to get on the scoresheet in this elimination game.
