This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Friday's NHL slate begins at 7:00 p.m. EDT and features three Game 6s from around the league. Below, you'll find a breakdown of the action and suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
SLATE PREVIEW
The Panthers and Flames are both clear road favorites after grabbing 3-2 series leads over the Capitals and Stars, respectively, with Game 5 wins. The Penguins are the only team with a chance to close out their opponent on home ice, but Pittsburgh's game against the Rangers is a toss-up. Stars-Flames has an over/under of 5.5 goals, while the other two both come in at 6.5.
GOALIES
Jacob Markstrom, CGY at DAL ($8,200): Markstrom has allowed just six goals over this series' first five games, as the Stars have struggled to penetrate the sturdy Flames defense and the goalie has stepped up to stop the rare quality chances that leak through for Dallas. Expect another strong performance from Markstrom as the Flames look to punch their ticket to the next round.
Jake Oettinger, DAL vs. CGY ($7,500): Oettinger has faced significantly more rubber than Markstrom, yet only eight pucks have gotten by the Dallas netminder in what has been by far the lowest-scoring first-round series across the league. Those who have been using Oettinger in fantasy lineups throughout the playoffs have been rewarded with an average of 22.9 fantasy points per game, and he should continue to outperform his $7,500 valuation with the season on the line.
Sergei Bobrovsky, FLA at WAS ($8,300): If you think Flames-Stars will suddenly turn into a score-fest, Bobrovsky's a solid alternative, as the tide of the series has turned Florida's way after the Panthers Houdinied their way out of Game 4 with a late tying goal and overtime winner. Florida then erased an early deficit to take Game 5 by a 5-3 margin, with Bobrovsky making 30 saves. Now playing from ahead for the first time in this series, there's a good chance the Panthers relax and put forth a dominant team effort akin to the regular season performances that earned them the Presidents' Trophy.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Elias Lindholm, CGY at DAL ($6,200): Despite the low-scoring nature of this series, Lindholm has still found a way to produce, scoring three of Calgary's 10 goals through five games and assisting on another. His role as the center on the top line and No. 1 power-play unit continues to offer Lindholm plenty of opportunities to score after he topped the 40-goal mark during the regular season.
Tyler Seguin, DAL vs. CGY ($4,300): Pickings are slim when it comes to enticing scoring options on the Stars considering they have scored just eight goals all series. Seguin's best days are behind him, but he can still contribute offensively. He potted the Stars' only goal the last time they were at home in Game 4 and lit the lamp 24 times during the regular season.
Alexis Lafreniere, NYR at PIT ($2,600): The Rangers' "kids line" of Lafreniere, Kaapo Kakko and Filip Chytil has looked like the team's best line for much of the series. That's as much an indictment of the team's highly paid veterans as it is a compliment to the youngsters, but it's hard not to like Lafreniere at just $100 above the minimum valuation. The first overall pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft has a three-game point streak going, with a 2-2-4 line over that stretch.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Panthers at Capitals
Aleksander Barkov (C - $7,600), Carter Verhaeghe (W - $4,200), Anthony Duclair (W -$3,900)
Verhaeghe's pretty much a must-have at just $4,200, as he's stepped up with a 4-3-7 line over the past two games. The rest of Florida's top line isn't too shabby, either. Barkov has contributed five points in as many games in this series after totaling 88 points in 67 regular-season appearances. Duclair has been quiet in this series, but he enjoyed a 31-goal regular season and could prove to be a bargain at his sub-$4,000 valuation if he can rediscover his scoring touch.
Penguins vs. Rangers
Sidney Crosby (C - $7,400), Jake Guentzel (W - $7,500), Bryan Rust (W - $5,900)
Make sure to check on Crosby's status if you're planning on building around this line, as he left Game 5 in the second period with an upper-body injury and was replaced on the top line by Evgeni Malkin ($6,100). Game 5 was the first time Crosby was held off the scoresheet in the series after he produced a 2-7-9 line over the first four games. Guentzel has at least one goal in every game this series and seven in the five games, with his last one coming on a feed from Malkin after Crosby had exited. Rust has contributed six points through five games in this series.
Capitals vs. Panthers
Evgeny Kuznetsov (C - $5,200), Alex Ovechkin (W - $7,600), T.J. Oshie (W -$4,400)
Ovechkin surprisingly has just one goal on 18 shots in this series, but he hasn't been held off the scoresheet entirely in any game, totaling a 1-5-6 line. If he gets some better puck luck, Ovie could turn in a highly productive performance with his season on the line considering he potted 50 goals in the regular season. Oshie has filled the goal-scoring void left by Ovechkin's lack of goals in this series, notching a 5-1-6 line. Kuznetsov has added a balanced 2-2-4 line.
DEFENSEMEN
Adam Fox, NYR at PIT ($6,400): Fox focused on distributing the puck during the regular season, but he has taken on a shoot-first mentality in the postseason. That approach has worked for the productive defenseman, who has a point in every game this series, including three goals on 19 shots.
John Carlson, WAS vs. FLA ($6,000): Carlson was held off the scoresheet in Game 1 but has compiled a 1-4-5 line over a four-game point streak since then. This scoring pace is certainly sustainable for Carlson, who had a 17-54-71 line in 78 regular-season appearances.
Miro Heiskanen, DAL vs. CGY ($4,300): It has been a rather quiet series for Heiskanen, though his two best games came at home, as he had two assists in Game 3 and a three-shot, four-block outing in Game 4. With 32 points in 45 career playoff games, the third overall pick from the 2017 draft is more than capable of outplaying his $4,300 valuation with his season on the line Friday.
Mike Matheson, PIT vs. NYR ($4,100): Matheson continues to be an unsung hero for the Penguins in this series. He has compiled a 1-5-6 line during a four-game point streak and has a pair of four-shot performances in this series, playing a surprisingly large role offensively.
