This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
NHL playoff action continues Saturday evening with a pair of pivotal Game 6 matchups. The Rangers ended a six-game home playoff losing streak in Game 4, and they can put away the Canadiens with another victory at Madison Square Garden. Out west, the Sharks find themselves facing elimination but can take confidence from their 7-0 win over the Oilers the last time these two foes squared off at SAP Center. These players are primed to provide strong value for their prices based on how things have unfolded.
GOALIE
Henrik Lundqvist, NYR vs. MON ($37): The safety of Lundqvist is worth paying up for. He has flipped a switch after an underwhelming regular season, averaging 17.2 fantasy points through five playoff games while sporting a 1.82 GAA and .944 save percentage. The Rangers are far from locks to close this series out given their home struggles, but New York's netminder should provide a quality performance regardless of the final result.
Goalie to Avoid
Cam Talbot, EDM at SJ ($28): Each of the three other available goaltenders has a GAA no worse than 1.82 this postseason, making Talbot's 2.24 mark look bloated by comparison. A desperate Sharks team chased him with five goals in under two periods the last time they met in this building, and it's tough to trust Talbot considering he's the only option that hasn't shown the ability to withstand such a barrage.
CENTER
Leon Draisaitl, EDM at SJ ($24): Draisaitl has been a non-factor for most of this series, but he finally seemed to shake off the nerves of playing in his first postseason with two assists in Game 5. His 77-point regular season suggests the young forward is capable of much more than he's shown, and he continues to see heaps of ice time on the first line along with Connor McDavid, as his 28:11 of playing time in Game 5 ranked second only to McDavid.
Center to Avoid
Connor McDavid, EDM at SJ ($35): McDavid and Draisaitl should have similar expectations for their respective production, but the $11 price difference makes one a significantly better value play. DeBoer will be able to use last change to get shutdown pair Justin Braun and Marc-Edouard Vlasic on the ice against McDavid at all times, limiting his upside. He'll probably end up reasonably productive, but that's not enough to justify gutting the rest of your lineup to make this $35 investment.
WINGS
Joel Ward, SJ vs. EDM ($13): Ward has always upped his game for the postseason. His 52 points in 82 career playoff games are more than the veteran has been able to accrue in any individual campaign, and he has already contributed a goal and three assists through five games in this series. On a Sharks team full of expensive stars, the cheap yet productive power forward could well be the best value at just $13.
Rick Nash, NYR vs. MON ($18): Nash has been the most productive Ranger on the offensive end in this series, as he's tied for the team lead in both goals (two) and points (three). More impressively, he has fired 20 shots on net while no teammate has topped 13. Despite his greater impact, Nash remains priced below both Chris Kreider ($21) and Mats Zuccarello ($20) at his position. As long as that's the case, the three-time 40-goal scorer should be the first Ranger plugged into lineups.
Wings to Avoid
Mikkel Boedker, SJ vs. EDM ($12): Boedker was the only Shark with a multi-point performance in Game 5, but his 13:13 of ice time over nearly four periods was one second from ranking last on the team. Coach Peter DeBoer's decision not to dress Boedker in Games 3 and 4 suggests he has little faith in the Danish forward's two-way game, so one missed assignment or turnover could leave him permanently glued to the bench in this win-or-go-home scenario. There are better options out there for those looking to go the affordable route at wing.
Brendan Gallagher, MON at NYR ($18): Gallagher has just three points and a minus-3 rating in five games, which isn't surprising given Lundqvist's elite play. The agitating winger has skated under 14 minutes twice in the series, suggesting he likely won't get enough opportunities to live up to his $18 price in this low-scoring environment.
DEFENSEMEN
Shea Weber, MON at NYR ($25): Weber has launched 11 shots and blocked 19 more in this series, and those two-way contributions coupled with three games over 29:00 of ice time help establish a terrific floor for Montreal's top blueliner. His series average of 9.8 fantasy points per contest would look even more impressive if any of the three shots he clanged off the iron instead crossed the goal line, suggesting Weber has the potential to contribute even more than he already has. This combination of safety and upside is exactly what owners should be looking for out of the top-dollar options.
Justin Braun, SJ vs. EDM ($14): Braun doesn't contribute much offensively, but the tricky task of shadowing Edmonton's top line comes with the added benefit of extra playing time and opportunities for counting stats. The stay-at-home blueliner has averaged 7.2 fantasy points in 23:12 of ice time per game in this series, largely thanks to a gaudy 26 blocked shots. His high likelihood of maintaining that production makes Braun a strong value at $14, especially given the unpredictability of scoring in the playoffs.
Defensemen to Avoid
Andrej Sekera, EDM at SJ ($17): Sekera hasn't been particularly noticeable in this series, posting just one assist to go with a minus-2 rating and nine shots to date. With plenty of cheaper high-usage options available and a skill gap between Sekera and the pricier alternatives, he's stuck in no-man's land at $17.
Kris Russell, EDM at SJ ($18): Russell's offensive impact is nearly nonexistent, as evidenced by his one goal and 12 assists in the regular season. While he blocks a lot of shots, it's hard to justify paying $18 for him when Braun and Dan Girardi have been doing the same thing for cheaper and have ratings better than Russell's minus-1.
