This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
It's Friday the 13th. Will it be unlucky for the three teams facing elimination in the NHL? In theory, all three of these series could end Friday, with us saying goodbye to some DFS options. Speaking of daily fantasy, here are the players to target, and to avoid, for your lineups.
GOALIE
Jacob Markstrom, CGY at DAL ($34): This series has been low scoring and both Markstrom and Jake Oettinger have come up big. Of these two starters, though, Markstrom has a better resume. He posted a 2.22 GAA and .922 save percentage during the regular season. Plus, the Stars scored the fewest goals per game of any playoff team.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Sergei Bobrovsky, FLA at WAS ($33): Of the six goalies likely to start Friday, Bobrovsky is the only one I think people would consider starting that I am down on. In this series he has a 2.78 GAA and .902 save percentage. Washington is facing elimination, is at home, and it ranked eighth in goals per game.
CENTER
Sam Bennett, FLA at WAS ($22): Bennett has an assist in each of his last two games, and he's put 11 shots on net as well. After a couple of strong appearances, Ilya Samsonov has allowed eight goals over his last two contests. That tracks, given that the Russian goalie had a 3.02 GAA and .896 save percentage.
CENTER TO AVOID
Joe Pavelski, DAL vs. CGY ($26): Thanks to a full season of Yahoo NHL DFS, I know that they list Pavelski as a center and Roope Hintz as a wing, though their roles on the first line are actually flipped. Of course, I'm suggesting you avoid Pavelski, so it may not necessarily matter where he fits in your lineup. I mentioned Markstrom's 2.22 GAA and .922 save percentage, but the Flames also finished top six in shots on net allowed per game and penalty-kill percentage.
WING
T.J. Oshie, WAS vs. FLA ($18): Oshie has been skating on the top line for the Capitals with Tom Wilson out. It's working thus far, as Oshie has five points in his last three games, including a power-play goal in each of those outings. He's a real power-play weapon who has averaged over three minutes with the extra man in each of the last five seasons.
Frank Vatrano, NYR at PIT ($17): Vatrano has four points in his last four games, and in Game 1 of this series he put six shots on net. After he joined the Rangers, he notched 13 points in 22 regular-season games. I heard one of the announcers say that Louis Domingue has become a "folk hero" in Pittsburgh, which is an interesting way to refer to a goalie that has a 3.56 GAA and .900 save percentage in this series. He was Pittsburgh's third-string goalie for a reason.
WINGS TO AVOID
Bryan Rust, PIT vs. NYR ($23): The concern here is the health of Sidney Crosby. He left Game 5 with an upper-body injury, and if he's not around to be Rust's center that really changes the landscape. Igor Shesterkin's play has been shaky in this series, but he had a 2.07 GAA and .935 save percentage in the regular season.
Tyler Toffoli, CGY at DAL ($13): Toffoli had 23 points in 37 games with the Flames, but he's had trouble getting anything goalie in this series. He has all of one point, an assist. Meanwhile, Oettinger has a 2.10 GAA and .937 save percentage in his last 11 starts.
DEFENSE
Jacob Trouba, NYR at PIT ($19): Trouba came up big in Game 5, picking up a goal and an assist. He's been involved quite a bit offensively recently, tallying 34 shots on net in his last 11 games. Meanwhile, Louis Domingue has a career 3.04 GAA and .905 save percentage.
Gustav Forsling, FLA at WAS ($18): The Panthers blue line hasn't provided much offense in this series, but Forsling does have two assists. In the regular season he tallied 37 points and 145 shots on net in 71 outings. As I noted, Samsonov had a 3.02 GAA and .896 save percentage this season.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
Noah Hanifin, CGY at DAL ($18): Hanifin ended the season red hot, but he's gone cold for the Flames in the playoffs. He has all of one point in this series. Oettinger is a big reason for that, of course. He has an 1.63 GAA and .956 save percentage over his five starts against Calgary in the first round.
Miro Heiskanen, DAL vs. CGY ($15): This series has been one I've largely steered clear of for DFS purposes, and by and large that's worked out. Heiskanen has played a ton on the power play in this series, but he has yet to notch a point with the extra man. Against some teams, you might expect things to change there. The Flames had the sixth-ranked penalty kill, though, and Markstrom had a .922 save percentage this season. It's quite possible Heiskanen goes the whole series without a power-play point.
