By Daniel Dobish on April 3, 2012
The National Hockey League is in the final week of the regular season. There are 10 games on the schedule, and some important games to be played. Some are playoff previews, some have teams fighting for their playoff lives against non-contenders, and others feature two teams just playing out the string. The best part about fantasy is that they’re all important to you.
Toronto Maple Leafs at Buffalo Sabres 7pm ET
Sabres RW Drew Stafford ($197K) continues to sail along. He had a goal, assist and plus-1 rating in his last game at Toronto Saturday night, giving him seven goals with 16 points and a plus-11 rating over his past 10 games. Sabres C Cody Hodgson ($133K) had been hot, but he has cooled over his past two games, posting a minus-4 rating and a total of minus-5 fantasy points. Avoid. The Maple Leafs have been ice cold, but RW Joey Crabb ($129K) has actually stepped up his game. He has two goals with six points and a plus-4 rating over his past five games, averaging 17.4 fantasy points per game during the span.
New York Islanders at New Jersey Devils 7pm ET
At the outset, New York Islanders LW Josh Bailey‘s FPPG makes him look very good, but his 18.4 fantasy points per game over the past seven is mainly due to his two goals, six assists and plus-5 rating in a home-and-home with the Penguins March 27-29. He is scoreless with a minus-3 rating and a total of minus-2 fantasy points over his past two appearances. At $162K, he just doesn’t make any sense. Devils LW Patrik Elias ($120K) has four assists over his past two games, averaging 18.5 fantasy points per contest. Islanders D Mark Streit has a goal and assists over his past three games, and at lest 11 fantasy points in seven of his past 10 games.
New York Rangers at Philadelphia Flyers 7pm ET
Rangers C Brad Richards ($157K) has his four-game points streak halted by the Bruins Sunday, but he still has a goal with six assists and a plus-3 rating over his past five outings. Rangers D Michael Del Zotto ($139K) has picked up his play, posting three goals with two assists over his past three. Remember from earlier in the season, the Rangers are 7-0 in the past seven meetings in this series, and they are 17-7 in the past 24 trips to Philadelphia. That bodes well for the Rangers TG ($229K). They’ll have to find a way to shut down RW Wayne Simmonds ($172K), who has lit the lamp in four straight games, posting five goals with an assist. He also has at least 10 fantasy points in five straight games.
Carolina Hurricanes at Ottawa Senators 7:30pm ET
The Hurricanes are 1-7 in their past eight trips to Ottawa, and the home team is 16-5 in the past 21 meetings. That means the Senators TG ($243K) is a good play. C Eric Staal ($170K) has played well for the visitors lately, popping in five goals while adding five assists over the past 10 games. Senators D Erik Karlsson ($145K) has picked it up again after a brief lull. He has five assists with a plus-3 rating over his past four games. Senators LW Milan Michalek ($149K) has posted three goals with five assists over his past five games, averaging 19.8 fantasy points per contest during the span.
Winnipeg Jets at Florida Panthers 7:30pm ET
The road team is 8-3 in the past 11 meetings in this series, so the Jets TG ($160K) might be worth a look. However, that trend is a bit skewed since the Jets were the Thrashers for a lot of that time and the Panthers weren’t a contender, so keep that in mind. Jets LW Andrew Ladd is averaging 15 fantasy points per game over his past three, posting at least 12 fantasy points in each of the outings. Panthers RW Tomas Fleischmann ($139K) has four goals with 10 points over his past 10 games.
Pittsburgh Penguins at Boston Bruins 7:30pm ET
The Penguins are 4-0 in their past four trips to Beantown, 4-1 in their past five meetings overall in the series, and the road team is 7-1 in the past eight overall in the series. The Penguions TG ($178K) might be a good play, although both goaltender units could be battered in a potentially high-scoring affair. After a two-game scoreless period, Penguins C Sidney Crosby ($183K) is at it again. He has a goal and five assists with a plus-1 rating and 64 total fantasy points over his past two games. Bruins LW Benoit Pouliot ($129K) is scoreless with a minus-1 rating and a total of just four fantasy points over his past three games.
Minnesota Wild at Nashville Predators 8pm ET
The Wild are 1-5 in their past six matchups with the Predators, and 0-4 in their past four trips to Nashville. The Predators TG ($198K) is a must-play in this one. Wild RW Devin Setoguchi ($121K) surprised the Blackhawks in Chicago with a goal, two assists and a plus-2 rating. He might be worth a look after his 37-point fantasy effort last time out. Predators D Ryan Suter ($123K) picked up three assists in his last outing. Predators RW Alexander Radulov ($173K) has at least one point in five of his six games since returning from the KHL. He has three goals and six points during the span.
San Jose Sharks at Dallas Stars 8:30pm ET
Dallas Stars C Mike Ribeiro ($140K) has cooled, going scoreless with a minus-2 rating over his past two games. That includes a meager two fantasy points in Saturday’s blanking at San Jose. The Sharks TG ($239K) picked up 42 fantasy points courtesy of a shutout at home Saturday against the Stars. Can lightning strike twice? Or, better yet, can the Stars align again for the Sharks? Sharks C Joe Pavelski ($169K) accounted for two of the team’s three goals Saturday, and he has seven markers with an assist over his past nine games. He has 15 or more fantasy points in six of his past nine.
Anaheim Ducks at Vancouver Canucks 10pm ET
Canucks C Maxim Lapierre ($141K) has picked up his play lately, potting goals in each of the past two games while totaling two goals, two assists and a plus-5 rating over his past two games. He has 68 fantasy points during the span, and is averaging 26 fantasy points per game over his past four outings. After a seven-game scoreless period, LW Alexandre Burrows ($130K) has picked it up somewhat. He has a goal and assist with a plus-4 rating over the past two games, averaging 17.5 fantasy points per contest. Ducks RW Teemu Selanne ($130K) might be up there in age, but he has lit the lamp three times in the past four games.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Phoenix Coyotes 10pm ET
Blue Jackets LW Rick Nash ($166K) carries a five-game points streak into play. He has managed two goals with eight points and a plus-1 rating during the span. Nash is averaging 17 fantasy points per game over his past seven. Believe it or not, the Blue Jackets are 3-0 this season, and 4-1 over the past five, against the Coyotes. That makes the Coyotes TG ($321K) tremendously overpriced against a team that obviously gives them fits. Blue Jackets D Nikita Nikitin ($135K) has posted three goals with six assists over his past eight games.
Posted in Daily Fantasy Hockey NHL |
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