This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Thursday's NHL slate begins at 8 p.m. EDT and includes just two games. Below, you'll find an overview of the matchups and suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
SLATE PREVIEW
Washington rode its top players to come back from a two-goal deficit Tuesday and force Game 5, but the deep and defensively sound Islanders still hold a 3-1 series lead. The Stars pulled out a 2-1 win over Calgary on Tuesday to grab a 3-2 lead in a series that has featured four one-goal games and an even goal differential.
GOALIES
Semyon Varlamov ($7,900) has been solid in the Islanders' net, stopping 95 of 103 shots for a .922 save percentage in this series. Washington's lack of secondary scoring has helped establish a high floor for Varlamov, and he'll be a safe option as New York looks to finish off the series.
With desperation working in Calgary's favor, Cam Talbot ($7,300) is well positioned to outperform his modest valuation. After allowing seven goals on 62 shots (.887 save percentage) in Games 1 and 2, the veteran netminder has righted the ship with 122 saves on 129 shots (.946) over the last three contests.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Tyler Seguin ($6,400) has gotten better as this series has gone along. After failing to record a shot on goal in Game 1, Seguin has put 14 pucks on net in the four games since while dishing out three assists in the past two. Seguin's three seasons with at least 37 goals and six seasons with 72-plus points suggest he's more than capable of heating up to help eliminate the Flames.
T.J. Oshie ($5,800) is one of three Capitals to find the back of the net in this series, as Alex Ovechkin (four) and Evgeny Kuznetsov (two) have scored all of Washington's goals since Oshie tallied twice in Game 1. The American winger's prominent role on the power play (10 PPG in the regular season, two in the postseason) makes him Washington's forward to own besides the top line.
After a quiet Game 1, Jean-Gabriel Pageau ($4,700) has been noticeable over the past three games with a 1-2-3 line and nine shots. The trade deadline acquisition has a history of playoff success, with a 16-6-22 line in 43 appearances.
Sam Bennett ($3,800) has been a standout performer for the Flames, firing five shots on net three times in the past four games while posting a 3-1-4 line over that stretch. The third-line center offers great bang for the buck at just $3,800.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Capitals vs. Islanders
Evgeny Kuznetsov (C - $5,700), Alex Ovechkin (W - $8,500), Tom Wilson (W - $5,100)
Kuznetsov and Ovechkin have combined for all six Capitals goals over the last three games, and the talented center is a bargain considering he owns a 2-2-4 line on 14 shots while skating at least 22:42 in three of this series' first four games. Ovechkin already has a pair of two-goal games and should continue to be dangerous with his season on the line. Wilson has mostly just been along for the ride with only a pair of helpers, but the power forward is coming off the best season of his career (21-23-44 in 68 games).
Islanders at Capitals
Mathew Barzal (C - $6,800), Anders Lee (W - $6,200), Jordan Eberle (W - $5,700)
While the Islanders have benefited from more secondary scoring than the Capitals, New York's top line has also done its part. Barzal has a 2-2-4 line in this series, Lee has three goals on 15 shots and Eberle has a goal and an assist.
Stars at Flames
Joe Pavelski (C - $4,800), Denis Gurianov (W - $3,800), Mattias Janmark (W - $3,000)
Dallas' affordable second line offers some intriguing options for fantasy managers hoping to catch lightning in a bottle while saving cap space for some of this slate's top players. Pavelski is no longer an every-night stud, but the veteran center can still put the team on his back some nights. He scored a hat trick on eight shots in Game 4, giving the 36-year-old center 53 career playoff goals. Gurianov potted 20 goals in the regular season and has added two more in this series, while Janmark's assist in Game 5 was his second of the series. Pavelski skates on the top power-play unit, while Gurianov plays on the second unit.
DEFENSEMEN
Washington's goal-scoring has been limited only to the team's top forwards, and John Carlson ($6,700) has been the guy putting the puck on a platter for them, with six assists in this series. This postseason production comes on the heels of a superb regular season in which Carlson led all defensemen in points with a 15-60-75 line over 69 games. He's worth paying up for as this slate's most expensive blueliner.
John Klingberg ($5,400) has been the most reliable driver of the Stars' inconsistent offense, producing a 1-5-6 line and 16 shots in the past four games. The Swedish defenseman skates on the top power-play unit and should continue to generate plenty of chances.
If you're looking to save some money on the blue line, Calgary's Rasmus Andersson ($3,400) should help you do that while still playing a prominent role in the contest. Andersson has topped 20 minutes of ice time in every game this series, chipping in a 1-2-3 line, seven shots and nine blocks.
