Yahoo Daily Fantasy Hockey: Thursday picks

By Chris Morgan

Four more teams kick off their second round Thursday, which means another day of daily fantasy hockey. The options remain slim, and the matchups daunting, but nevertheless here are some suggestions for your lineup…

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GOALIE

Craig Anderson, OTT vs. NYR ($27): The Senators allowed a mere 2.32 goals per game at home this season, and bear in mind that was with Mike Condon in net much of the year. When Anderson tended goal, he posted a 2.28 GAA and a .926 save percentage. In the first round, he had a 1.94 GAA and a .921 save percentage against Boston. He’s the cheapest goalie in action Thursday, plus he’s at home, and that’s enough to make him enticing.

GOALIE TO AVOID

Marc-Andre Fleury, PIT at WAS ($33): Fleury had three impressive starts in the first round, but he also had a two-game stretch wherein he gave up nine goals on 71 shots. Maybe it’s a coincidence, but both of those games were on the road, just like this Game 1 against the Capitals. On top of that, Fleury had a 3.02 GAA and a .909 save percentage this year, and he’s only played in this postseason because of an injury to Matt Murray. Washington also averaged 3.18 goals per game during the regular season.

CENTER

Evgeny Kuznetsov, WAS vs. PIT ($19): Kuznetsov tallied three points in the first round, and he also put 19 shots on goal in six games. The Penguins gave up 32.6 shots on net per game, which was third most in the NHL. In the first round, that number was up to 38.8 shots on goal per contest.

CENTER TO AVOID

Kyle Turris, OTT vs. NYR ($17): Turris only had two points in the first round, and he was also held scoreless in his final two regular season games. Granted, he did have a good year, but at the moment Henrik Lundqvist is looking quite strong for the Rangers. He posted a 1.70 GAA and a .947 save percentage against the Canadiens, which harkens back to the King Henrik who didn’t have a save percentage lower than .920 in his seven seasons prior to this one. While the Rangers may be on the road, they only gave up 2.37 goals per game in away contests, which was the best in the NHL.

WING

Justin Williams, WAS vs. PIT ($20): Williams was in fine form against Toronto, tallying six points — including two on the power play — in six games. That was a continuation of his strong finish to the regular season, as he notched 12 points in his last 15 games. The Penguins, as previously noted, gave up 32.6 shots on net per contest, and they also allowed 2.95 goals per game on the road. That’s still better than Fleury’s overall GAA (3.02) of course, which is another point in Williams’ favor.

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Mark Stone, OTT vs. NYR ($17): Stone averaged 6.8 fantasy points per game and started 35.3 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone this season. He also averaged 3:17 with the extra man, and after the All-Star break the Rangers had the 26th-ranked penalty kill. If he sees a lot of time on the power play, he could definitely take advantage, as he had 14 power-play points in 71 games during the regular season.

WINGS TO AVOID

Patric Hornqvist, PIT at WAS ($24): The Capitals did allowed league-low 2.16 goals per game during the regular season. They were even better at home, holding opponents to a measly 1.63 goals per contest. Braden Holtby had a 2.07 GAA and a .925 save percentage. If Washington plays like it did this season and gets away from the track-meet style that was featured in Round 1 with Toronto, it won’t be easy for Hornqvist, who is the fourth most expensive wing Thursday.

Chris Kreider, NYR at OTT ($21): Kreider only managed one point, an assist, in the first round. If you take a wider view, he only has two goals in his last 19 games. As mentioned earlier, the Senators only allowed 2.32 goals per game at home, and Anderson had a .926 save percentage this season. On top of that, after the All-Star break the Senators allowed 29.4 shots on net per game, and they held the Bruins to a mere 27.5 shots on goal per contest in the first round.

DEFENSEMEN

John Carlson, WAS vs. PIT ($21): Carlson tallied 180 shots on goal in 72 games, and the Penguins gave up 32.6 shots per contest. He’s been particularly prolific on that front recently, as in his last nine games he’s tallied 30 shots on goal. Carlson also blocked 127 shots this season, while Pittsburgh attempted 58.8 shots per 60 minutes, which was sixth most in the NHL. Carlson also blocked 16 shots in the last five games in Round 1

Dion Phaneuf, OTT vs. NYR ($13): Phaneuf had three points in the first round, although they all came in the same game. This season, he had 30 points, including 16 on the power play. He averaged 2:44 per game with the extra man, and the Rangers had the 26th-ranked penalty kill after the All-Star break. Phaneuf tallied 156 shots on goal and 156 blocked shots, so he’s capable of contributing on both ends of the ice. Beyond that, the cheapest defensemen Thursday is $12, so Phaneuf doesn’t have to do a ton to be a nice value.

DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID

Erik Karlsson, OTT vs. NYR ($30): Karlsson is great. Even though he always carries a gaudy price, I’ve never suggested him as a player to avoid, because he’s so good he can justify almost any price. However, he’s also playing with two fractures in his heel right now. That didn’t completely derail him in the first round, but it’s definitely a concern, especially as the playoffs trudge on. Plus, the Bruins weren’t at full strength, especially defensively, whereas the Rangers have Ryan McDonagh to try and keep Karlsson and his banged up foot in check. Karlsson is the most expensive defenseman by $6. If he were healthy, I wouldn’t flinch at that, but that’s not the case at the moment.

Justin Schultz, PIT at WAS ($24): There are several arguments to make against Schultz in Game 1. For starters, there’s the fact the Capitals allowed a league-low 2.16 goals per game, and Holtby’s 2.05 GAA. Then, there’s Schultz’s current goal drought, which extends back 21 games, and the fact he only managed two shots on goal in his last three games in the first round. Schultz is the second most expensive defenseman Thursday, and there is plenty of cause for skepticism about his potential in this matchup.

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