This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Friday's three-game NHL slate features a trio of Game 2s beginning at 7:00 PM Eastern time. All the same teams that opened up the playoff action Wednesday will take the ice, but finding value plays and options to avoid should be easier now that we've seen these opponents match up once.
GOALIE
Marc-Andre Fleury, VGK vs. LA ($38): Of the six teams in action, no offense was less effective in the regular season than Los Angeles' (2.89 goals per game). Fleury took advantage of this favorable matchup with a 30-save shutout in Game 1, and his job could get even easier if stalwart Kings defenseman Drew Doughty ends up getting suspended for Wednesday's malicious hit on William Carrier.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Jonathan Quick, LA at VGK ($38): On the flip side, Quick played as well as he could in Game 1 and it still wasn't enough. A Vegas offense that finished fifth at 3.27 goals per game is likely to gain steam as the series progresses, which could mean bad news for the expensive American netminder.
CENTER
Sidney Crosby, PIT vs. PHI ($32): It's hard to argue against going right back to Crosby after his Game 1 hat trick. Philadelphia features the least imposing goaltending situation of any playoff team, so the Penguins should continue to score at will, led by their captain.
CENTER TO AVOID
Anze Kopitar, LAA at VGK ($25): Given the low-scoring nature of this series compared to the others, it's not wise to drop big money on offensive players from the Kings. Kopitar is the team's most expensive skater, but he's going to have a tough time matching the production of some high-priced alternatives from more explosive offenses like the Jets and Penguins. It doesn't help that Kopitar's current five-game goal drought is his longest dry spell in the category since an eight-game stretch spanning Dec. 18 to Jan. 6.
WINGS
James Neal, VGK vs. LA ($12): This is a tremendous buy-low opportunity on Neal, whose playoff experience and role on the second line and second power-play unit have him positioned to put his recent slump behind him. The veteran sniper's never scored fewer than 21 goals in a season and just wrapped up a 25-goal campaign, so his scoring prowess is unmatched in this price range.
Zach Parise, MIN at WPG ($18): Parise's been unstoppable since the calendar flipped to March, scoring 13 goals in 19 subsequent appearances. That hot streak included his tally in Game 1, which gave him six goals in his last six games. His slow start after returning from injury in early January has kept the veteran winger's price down, but Parise has been playing much better than his $18 valuation suggests for a while now.
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WINGS TO AVOID
Wayne Simmonds, PHI at PIT ($17): Simmonds escaped with only a minus-1 rating in the blowout Game 1 loss, but his regular season mark of minus-16 suggests things could still get much worse in that department against the high-powered Penguins offense. His 46 points were only good for sixth on the Flyers, so Simmonds doesn't bring enough offensive upside to overlook his rating deficiencies.
Conor Sheary, PIT vs. PHI ($16): Sheary didn't exactly shine in Game 1, producing just an assist and 6.0 fantasy points over 11:35 of ice time. That's not a bad performance, but owners were certainly hoping for more in a game that his team won 7-0. Sheary's average of 4.1 fantasy points per game is the lowest among wingers priced at $16 or more, so more underwhelming efforts are likely on tap. Teammate Bryan Rust can be had for $1 less despite averaging 5.4 fantasy points per game, so he's a much smarter choice.
DEFENSEMEN
Dustin Byfuglien, WPG vs. MIN ($23): Byfuglien has been a strong fantasy play at home all season, putting up 28 points and a plus-22 rating in 36 appearances at Bell MTS Place during the regular campaign before adding a helper and five shots in the series opener. Look for Big Buff to keep benefitting from home cooking as his team attempts to take a 2-0 lead over the border.
Matt Dumba, MIN vs. WPG ($20): With Jared Spurgeon (hamstring) far from his usual self (see below) and Ryan Suter (ankle) done for the year, Dumba was tasked with playing a Suter-esque 30:03 in Game 1. While his fantasy impact in that contest was underwhelming, a player that spends more than half the game on the ice and skates on the top power-play unit is worth targeting at $20. If Minnesota's going to find any success in this series, Dumba's play will likely be a big part of the equation.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Jared Spurgeon, MIN at WPG ($19): Spurgeon toughed it out in Game 1, returning from a hamstring injury that had kept him out since March 13. He was clearly operating at less than 100 percent, however, finishing with minus-1.0 fantasy point in 20:19 of ice time, well below his season average of 24:33. With his role and effectiveness limited against this tough opposition, it's tough to justify paying $19 for Spurgeon.
Shayne Gostisbehere, PHI at PIT ($25): Gostisbehere has been able to make up for his deficiencies in his own zone by driving possession this season, but a Penguins team that had the puck most of the time and used last change to control matchups absolutely eviscerated him Wednesday. While the offensive-minded blueliner has nowhere to go but up after his minus-4 finish in the series opener, it's best to at least wait until action shifts back to Philadelphia to deploy him. Without last change to shelter him from tougher matchups, the downside is extreme, especially for a player that costs $25.
