This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
As many as four teams will see their playoff runs end on Friday. Road teams were 23-14 entering Thursday, and the Canes, Bruins and Stars will be able to punch a ticket to the next round with a victory away from home.
The Kraken will be the lone home team with a chance to advance, and in the process would also become the first team in the modern era to eliminate the defending champs in their first postseason appearance. The jokes about every little milestone for the Kraken being "historic" have become old and run its course, but knocking off the Avs is no easy feat and it'll ensure a new team will raise the Cup in 2023.
Note the Stars at Wild and Avalanche at Kraken matchups will also be available for the After Hours slate.
GOALIES
Jake Oettinger, DAL at MIN ($7,900): Oettinger is coming off a 27-save shutout and will be on the road, but in his home state. Including the regular season, he's gone 2-2-1 in Minnesota while only allowing eight goals. After a flurry of goals in Games 1 through 3, the Wild have managed to score just two against Oettinger over the last two.
Philipp Grubauer, SEA vs. COL ($7,400): The Avs will likely be without Valeri Nichushkin again, and Grubauer gets a chance to eliminate his former team from the playoffs. After shaky performances in Games 2 and 3, he's looked solid in the last two and the Kraken's depth has just been too much to handle. The series has been much closer than anticipated, and going with the cheaper goalie is the better value play.
Sergei Bobrovsky, FLA vs. BOS ($7,300): Bobrovsky was excellent in Game 5 to stave off elimination when he stopped 44 of 47 shots. The Panthers are carrying a lot of momentum back home after a thrilling OT win, and Bobrovsky was also much better at home (14-9-2/.909/2.89) than on the road (10-11-1/.892/3.27) during the regular season.
VALUE PLAYS
MacKenzie MacEachern, CAR at NYI ($3,400): MacEachern only logged nine minutes in his second appearance of the series, but he's certainly made an impression. Expect the Canes to juggle their lines, but MacEachern will at least start on a line with Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis.
Jordan Martinook, CAR at NYI ($3,600): Martinook's been rather unlucky as he averages fourth on Carolina in ice time and shots (12), but remains one of six forwards without a goal. The Isles may be stingy, but he should break through at some point considering his current significant role skating on the second line with Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Martin Necas, who led their team in scoring.
Morgan Geekie, SEA vs. COL ($3,800): The Kraken's offense-by-committee approach makes it difficult to single out a specific player for DFS play. Geekie is not just punching above his weight on the second unit with Alexander Wennberg and Jaden Schwartz, but he and Schwartz are the only two Seattle players with multiple goals this series.
LINE STACKS
Panthers vs. Bruins
Sam Bennett (C - $6,200), Matthew Tkachuk (W - $9,300), Nick Cousins (W - $3,700)
You heard it from Paul Maurice – Tkachuk's a gamer. His big performances in marquee matchups is a major reason why the Panthers acquired him, and they'll be leaning on this trio again. Bennett has always been a proven playoff performer and has registered at least one point in every appearance while Cousins has pitched in with three assists and six shots.
DEFENSEMEN
Cale Makar, COL at SEA ($7,000): Makar returns from a one-game suspension and should be fresh after the three-day break. If the Avs are to survive for a Game 7, you can bet he'll play a major role. Makar's been rather quiet with "only" three points so far this series, but he continues to generate plenty of offense and no other defenseman boasts a higher ceiling.
Brent Burns, CAR at NYI ($6,500): Burns has been snakebit with no goals on 22 shots, so either he breaks through Friday with a lucky bounce or continues to generate a high volume of pucks on net – and either scenario is acceptable for DFS. While the Isles should dictate the matchups at home, he produced an assist on five shots in their most recent meeting on Long Island.
