This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
We've got a couple big Game 4s in the NHL on Tuesday. Of course, what playoff game isn't big? To make this Tuesday as productive as possible for you hockey fans and DFS players, here are some guys to target, and to avoid, for your lineups.
GOALIE
Antti Raanta, CAR at NYR ($30): Raanta took the loss in Game 3, but he only allowed two goals on 32 shots. In the playoffs he has an 1.86 GAA and .939 save percentage. The Rangers, meanwhile, only ranked 17th in goals per game this year. Even if Raanta loses, it will likely not be a loss where goals are piled on him. I see a high floor as well as a high ceiling with the Finn.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Jacob Markstrom, CGY at EDM ($30): I don't think Markstrom has some mental block about the Oilers or whatever just because he has poor numbers against them this season. I think the problem is that Edmonton is a team that averaged 3.48 goals and 34.0 shots on net per contest and Connor McDavid is playing at his peak performance. It's been a brutal series for the Swede, and no matter what kind of season he had I can't put my trust in him now.
CENTER
Mika Zibanejad, NYR vs. CAR ($29): Zibanejad has had his "rising to the occasion" games in the playoffs. In the last two games of the Pittsburgh series he totaled seven points, and he just had a goal and an assist in as vital Game 3 win in this series. He's New York's first line center and plays the point on the power play. When the Rangers' offense has gotten going in these playoffs, it's often been through Zibanejad.
CENTER TO AVOID
Ryan Strome, NYR vs. CAR ($18): Yes, I'm recommending one Rangers center and saying you should avoid another. Matchups tend to be difficult at this point in the season. That means I more often look at a player's personal performances as much as the matchup. Strome doesn't have a point in this series, and he's only put five shots on net. The Hurricanes allowed a league-low 28.2 shots on net per game. I can see Zibanejad rising above that, but not Strome.
WING
Evander Kane, EDM vs. CGY ($28): I thought before Game 3 that Kane was an intriguing option simply because he was skating on the top line with McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. He then went out and picked up a hat trick. I'm not saying he'll do that again, but he's in the same position, and that three-goal performance is indicative of the upside of a player like Kane on a line with talents like his two linemates.
Seth Jarvis, CAR at NYR ($17): Jarvis started 61 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone this season, highest on the Hurricanes. In the playoffs he's down to…60.8 percentage, second to Steven Lorentz, a fourth liner who has only been in the lineup for four games. Jarvis also gets to skate on the top line next to Sebastian Aho. The rookie may only have one point in this series, but I am also encouraged by the fact he played 3:27 on the power play in both Games 2 and 3.
WINGS TO AVOID
Andrei Svechnikov, CAR at NYR ($23): Is Rod Brind'Amour concerned about Svechnikov? He's moved him off the top line and also off the top power-play unit. Suddenly, his upside has dipped quite a bit. He has been held without a point in seven of his last eight games, to be fair.
Andrew Mangiapane, CGY at EDM ($16): Mangiapane exploded for a goal, two assists, and seven shots on net in Game 1 of this series. However, that is looking like the anomaly, as he only has 27 shots on net over his last 14 games. Mike Smith started this series off terribly, but he seems to have found his footing. In the playoffs, he has a 2.55 GAA and .933 save percentage.
DEFENSE
Jacob Trouba, NYR vs. CAR ($19): Trouba has been active in this series. He's averaged 25:51 in ice time and picked up eight shots on net and nine blocked shots. During the regular season he had 204 shots on goal and 177 blocked shots. He may not be as flashy as Adam Fox, but his level of activity gives him a high floor.
Evan Bouchard, EDM vs. CGY ($17): Bouchard has been the standout Edmonton defenseman in the playoffs. Through 10 games he has seven points and 23 shots on net, and he put up a goal in each of the first two contests in this series. Markstrom was stellar this season until the point when this series began, but regardless of the sample size he has a 5.74 GAA over his last three games.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Tony DeAngelo, CAR at NYR ($24): DeAngelo hasn't stepped up against his former team, with zero points in his series. That gives him five games in a row without a point. Igor Shesterkin is a Hart Finalist, and after a couple bad games in the first round he's been looking like it. Over his last six starts he has a 2.14 GAA and .935 save percentage.
Noah Hanifin, CGY at EDM ($18): Hanifin had 48 points in the regular season, but he only has two points over his last 12 games. He doesn't have a single power-play point in the playoffs either, even though he had 13 during the regular season. The Oilers have the 17th-ranked penalty kill this year, but with how he's playing now Hanifin doesn't look primed to take advantage of that.
