This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Alright, we've had a few days of atypical NHL scheduling loaded with afternoon action. Tuesday though there are nine games on the slate, and all of them are in the evening. It's business as usual, but that doesn't make your DFS decisions any either. Here are some players to target, and to avoid, for your DFS lineups.
GOALIE
Vitek Vanecek, NJD vs. MON ($36): Vanecek has been helped by a defense that has allowed only 28.7 shots on net per contest, but his 2.30 GAA is also a byproduct of his .917 save percentage. The Canadiens rank 29th in goals per game and 30th in shots on net allowed per contest, so Vanecek may barely see any action Tuesday,
GOALIE TO AVOID
Ilya Samsonov, TOR at BUF ($34): Samsonov's last start went rough, but he was getting over an illness and his team was on the second leg of a back-to-back. And yet, I don't see things going much better Tuesday, because this time the opponent is the problem. The Sabres have averaged 3.70 goals per game, third most in the league.
CENTER
Ryan Johansen, NAS vs. VAN ($14): It's been a step down for Johansen this season, but he's still contributing on the power play. He's averaged 3:10 per contest with the extra man and has 10 power-play points. The Canucks have the league's worst penalty kill, so Johansen's extensive power-play time should really help.
CENTER TO AVOID
Robert Thomas, STL at CAR ($18): Thomas is more of a playmaker, so the fact the Hurricanes have allowed a league-low 26.3 shots on net per contest may not impact him directly. However, who is going to turn his passes into assists, especially with Vladimir Tarasenko traded and Pavel Buchnevich injured? Also, 16 of Thomas' 48 points have come on the power play, and the Hurricanes have a top-eight penalty kill.
WING
Brandon Hagel, TAM vs. ANA ($21): What's better than facing the team that ranks last in GAA and shots on net allowed per game? Getting that team on the second leg of a back-to-back! Hagel skates on Tampa's top line with Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov, which has helped him tally 22 goals and 24 assists.
Patrick Kane, CHI vs. VGK ($19): Kane has five goals over his last two games, but he's still only shooting at an 8.1 percent clip. Now, it's no guarantee that he will stay hot, but this is a better matchup than you may realize. The Golden Knights have already announced that Laurent Brossoit, their fourth-string goalie, will be starting. This will be his first appearance of the season, and Brossoit has a career .905 save percentage.
WINGS TO AVOID
Viktor Arvidsson, LOS at MIN ($19): Arvidsson has been more reliant on the power play this year than during his first with the Kings, but his 15 power-play points have helped him to 39 points in 52 games. The problem is that the Wild have a top-eight penalty kill. Also, they have turned more and more to Filip Gustavsson in goal, and he has a 2.16 GAA and .926 save percentage.
James van Riemsdyk, PHI at EDM ($14): The Flyers are one of only two teams on the second leg of a back-to-back Tuesday, and they are on the road as well. While Stuart Skinner's save percentage is .913, that's not poor by any means. With nine games on the slate, I think there are better ways to spend your salary. Also, while I am at it, Travis Konecny had to leave Monday's game with an injury. I would have gone with him instead, but the injury is the overarching reason for that now.
DEFENSE
Ryan Graves, NJD vs. MON ($18): Graves is typically defensively minded, and he has 108 blocked shots in 53 contests, but over his last seven games he's put 22 shots on net. The Canadiens have allowed 33.9 shots on goal per game, and Sam Montembeault will be starting. He has a career .896 save percentage.
Tyson Barrie, EDM vs. PHI ($16): Barrie has a three-game point streak, though only one of those points has come on the power play. That's a mild surprise, as Barrie has 24 points with the extra man in 57 games. The Flyers are on the fringes of the bottom 10 in penalty-kill percentage, and the fact they are on the second night of a back-to-back gives me a little extra push.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Cam Fowler, ANA at TAM ($16): Fowler has 30 points in 57 games, including four in his last three. I don't expect him to add to that total, being on the road in Tampa for his second game in as many days, though. Presumably, Andrei Vasilevskiy will be in net for the Lightning, and he has a 2.56 GAA and .918 save percentage.
Justin Faulk, STL at CAR ($15): Faulk puts a lot of pucks on net, having tallied 143 shots on goal in 56 games. Those pucks aren't going in, though. Faulk doesn't have a single goal in his last 21 outings. Accruing shots is hard enough as is against the Hurricanes, who have allowed a league-low 26.3 shots on net per contest.
