This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
It's a pivotal Game 4 as four teams can take commanding 3-1 leads. The Leafs, Knights and Avalanche can tilt the series heavily in their favor with a win before the series shifts back to their home ice. The Devils avoided falling into a 3-0 hole and tying up the series at 2-2 before going back home could be the big momentum shift they need.
Note Erik Cernak (upper body) has already been ruled out for Game 4, Michael Bunting will continue to set due to a suspension and Erik Gustafsson (upper body) is questionable and has yet to make an appearance in the Leafs-Lightning series. Mikhail Sergachev (37:27), Victor Hedman (32:35), Darren Raddysh (31:49) and Nick Perbix (22:01) were the only Lightning defenders who played more than 20 minutes in Game 3.
Josh Morrissey (lower body) left Game 3 after his first shift and will miss the remainder of the playoffs, and Nikolaj Ehlers (upper body) is questionable for the Jets.
Valeri Nichushkin (personal) missed Game 3 though it didn't deter the Avs, and his status is questionable. Andre Burakovsky, who has yet to set up for the Kraken, still has no return date set.
GOALIES
Igor Shesterkin, NYR vs. NJ ($8,400): Shesterkin has been outstanding in the playoffs, allowing only four goals on 80 shots. Though he took the loss in Game 3, he was brilliant again, allowing only two goals. Note the Devils have won the possession game at 5-on-5 in the series, but their roster isn't quite as deep and they're definitely less experienced, two things that definitely wont' change during the series.
Connor Hellebuyck, WPG vs. VGK ($7,600): It's been a back-and-forth series and the upside to Hellebuyck is that he's going to get a lot of work. Momentum flipped in Games 1 and 2 but Game 3 was incredibly close and needed two overtimes to decide. At a raucous Canada Life Centre, the Jets can carry a ton of momentum after a thrilling comeback victory in Game 3, and any victory they earn usually starts with a strong performance in net from Hellebuyck.
VALUE PLAYS
Michael Amadio, VGK at WPG ($4,100): Amadio scored two points in Game 3, and he's been playing better over the course of the series after playing only eight minutes in Game 1. He's playing on the top line with Jack Eichel and Jonathan Marchessault as the Knights balance out their offense.
Matthew Knies, TOR at TB ($3,700): Knies has only been recently added to DFS slates and it's a good time to get in at the ground floor. He played 19 minutes and notched an assist in Game 3, and at times looked as dangerous as some of the Leafs' top players. The former Minnesota Golden Gopher has shown very little rookie jitters and plays on a line with veteran Ryan O'Reilly.
Vladislav Namestnikov, WPG vs. VGK ($3,600): Namestnikov played 23 minutes and notched an assist for the second time in the series. He's filled in admirably as the No. 2 center with Mark Scheifele playing on a line with Pierre-Luc Dubois. Namestnikov won't get many shots on net but his wingers, Nino Niederreiter and Blake Wheeler, have managed to score three points in three games.
Matt Nieto, COL at SEA ($3,300): Look for Nieto to take Nichushkin's spot on the second line if he misses another game. Nieto's a bottom-six checking line winger but played 15 minutes in an elevated role in Game 3, and finished with two shots on net.
LINE STACKS
Rangers vs. Devils
Mika Zibanejad (C - $7,200), Chris Kreider (W - $6,300), Patrick Kane (W - $6,400)
This stack avoids all of the costliest options at their positions even though they've been excellent on offense, especially Kreider. The Devils have had trouble containing Kreider on the power play, and his game is built for the playoffs, continuing where he left off last season. Kreider and Kane have five points apiece while Zibanejad has been a little behind with only two assists, though that should change soon with zero goals on seven shots while ranking second in average ice time among Rangers forwards.
DEFENSEMEN
Cale Makar, COL at SEA ($7,200): Makar continues to produce points like a top-line forward, and through three games has scored three points. Philipp Grubauer has been surprisingly good, but the Avs poured in six goals in Game 3, and the Kraken goaltending has failed to sustain a high level of play during the regular season.
Mikhail Sergachev, TB vs. TOR ($5,500): Sergachev should lead the Lightning in minutes with a banged-up blueline. Victor Hedman is probably playing through an injury, and Sergachev remains the quarterback on the top power play. After losing Game 3 in overtime, look for the Lightning to bounce back on home ice; going back to Toronto down 3-1 poses an incredibly tough challenge, even factoring the Leafs' own woeful playoff history.
