This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
Action begins at 3 p.m. EDT with the Isles looking to take a 2-0 series lead against the Flyers. While most have been enamored by elite talent or quality depth, the Isles have built a solid, impenetrable machine. They have the best record in the East so far at 8-2-0.
The Lightning-Bruins series is too close to call and Game 3 will be the second of a back-to-back. The depth of the Lightning is starting to show; deadline acquisitions Barclay Goodrow and Blake Coleman chipped in with three points Tuesday.
It's a crucial must-win for the Avs, because going down 0-3 against the Stars and then trying to win four straight will be very difficult. Goaltending and depth on defense have been the stories for both teams, except the Stars are trending up with a four-goal second period that sealed the win in Game 2, while the Avs are trending down with just two goals on 40 shots.
GOALIES
Semyon Varlamov, NYI vs. PHI ($8,400): Varlamov can extend his shutout streak to three games and remains the only starter to face 30 shots or less every single game. The Islanders 4-0 win in Game 1 was impressive; Varlamov's .941 Sv% leads all goalies and the Isles are the best in the East allowing just 25.6 shots per game.
Andrei Vasilevskiy, TB vs. BOS ($8,300): The three goals he allowed last night weren't entirely his fault; otherwise, he played a strong game with Tampa controlling the play most of the time. It's been a close series and it'll remain close, but at full strength and when their depth players are providing offense, Tampa is the slightly better team.
Jaroslav Halak, BOS vs. TB ($7,700): He's the better value play because he'll probably face more shots and the series is still a coin flip. Through two games he's faced 77 shots and allowed six goals, and you wonder if fatigue will become a factor at some point after serving primarily as the backup during the season. Halak ranks 21st with a .907 Sv% in the playoffs among goalies with at least four appearances.
Anton Khudobin, DAL vs. COL ($7,500): Expect a huge pushback from the Avs, who do not want to fall into a 0-3 hole. Khudobin has been much better than expected, ranking fifth in EV Sv% and 11th in Sv%. The Avs are best in the West averaging 36.9 shots per game, so even without the win Khudobin can easily rack up 30 fantasy points.
VALUE PLAYS
Jean-Gabriel Pageau, NYI vs. PHI ($4,800): He's starting to heat up again with two goals and seven shots in his past three games. When he scores, he tends to do so in bunches. Remember earlier this season he had 14 points in November and 10 points in February, but had just six in October, three in January and none in March. Pageau also features on both special teams.
Tyler Johnson, TB vs. BOS ($4,300): He had a few scoring chances in Game 2 but couldn't bury them, finishing with three shots and blocking another. He's a borderline top-six forward at this point, but he's still very effective and playing with two very strong two-way linemates means they don't get pinned in their own zone. There's the added bonus of playing the second power-play unit.
LINE STACKS
Lightning vs. Bruins
Yanni Gourde (C - $3,600), Barclay Goodrow (W - $3,300), Blake Coleman (W - $3,600)
It's taken a while but Coleman seems to have finally settled in with his new club, scoring four points in his past four games. He finished the season with 21 goals but struggled upon his arrival, but the trio clicked in Game 2 and provided some much-needed depth scoring. They had a 68.18 CF%, according to Natural Stat Trick, second only to the top line.
DEFENSEMEN
Victor Hedman, TB vs. BOS ($6,700): He's been incredible for the Lightning and his role continues to expand with Ryan McDonagh out of the lineup. He played nearly 28 minutes, the second-highest total after the 5OT marathon against Columbus, and remains a significant source of points, shots and blocked shots.
Miro Heiskanen, DAL vs. COL ($5,800): The only downside to Heiskanen is that he doesn't play on the top power play unit, but otherwise he's arguably the Stars' MVP. His assist in Game 2 was a lucky secondary assist, but nevertheless has stretched his point streak to three games.
Cale Makar, COL vs. DAL ($5,500): He rounds out the elite tier for Wednesday's slate, and he's only failed to register a point just once since the playoff started. Without Erik Johnson, Makar has played over 27 minutes in each of the first two games, the first time he's played this much in consecutive games all season. That trend will surely continue.
Kevin Shattenkirk, TB vs. BOS ($3,900): He's scored a point in four straight games, which was preceded by a 12-game drought in which he registered just one assist. He's a streaky scorer but definitely has the hot hand right now. In McDonagh's absence, it's Mikhail Sergachev's minutes that have increased, but Shattenkirk still has more upside on offense with four points to Sergachev's one.
Kevin Connauton, COL vs. DAL ($3,500): Taking Johnson's place in the lineup, Connauton was quite productive, leading all Avs defensemen with four shots despite playing just 10 minutes. He'll likely be a game-time decision if Jared Bednar decides to tinker with his lineup, but before Game 2 praised Connauton for his puck-moving skills. He's a deep value play for managers looking for some sneaky offensive upside.
