This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
There are four games in the NHL on Friday, as all four series play Game 6. Carolina travels to Long Island, up 3-2 versus the Islanders while Boston travels to Florida leading 3-2. Minnesota will try to stave off elimination as they host Dallas down 3-2 and Colorado heads to Seattle down 3-2. Below, you'll find suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
GOALIES
Ilya Sorokin, NYI vs. CAR ($8,000): The Islanders have their backs against the wall as they are down 3-2 in the best-of-seven series and need a win Friday to force a Game 7. Sorokin has given up 11 goals on 102 shots in three losses to Carolina, but he has stopped 64 of 67 shots in the two victories. Sorokin was 31-22-7 with six shutouts, and he posted a 2.34 GAA and .924 save percentage during the 2022-23 regular season. He needs to be great in front of a raucous Islanders crowd to enable the series to go to seven games.
Filip Gustavsson, MIN vs. DAL ($7,900): Gustavsson was outstanding in Game 1, stopping 51 shots in a 3-2 double overtime victory. Since then, Gustavsson has faced 24 shots in each of the last three games, giving up three goals apiece in the last two games -- both losses. Gustavsson stopped 23 shots in Game 3 at home, and needs to play like he did in Games 1 and 3 in order to get the series back to Dallas for Game 7. Gustavsson was the best goaltender in the NHL the last month of the season, going 6-0-2, allowing 16 goals on 254 shots.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Taylor Hall, BOS at FLA ($4,700): What a first-round Hall is having! He has five goals and eight points in his four-game point streak with goals in each game. Hall missed 21 games this season with an upper-body injury suffered Feb. 25 in Vancouver, but he has fully recovered and has been a star for the Bruins in the opening round. Hall had 16 goals and 36 points in the regular season.
Sam Bennett, FLA vs. BOS ($5,100): Bennett has been great since he returned to action in Game 2 after missing the previous 13 games with a groin injury. Bennett has points in all four games, scoring three times while adding an assist. Bennett had 16 goals and 40 points in 63 games this season, including a goal and two assists in four regular season games against the Bruins.
Jordan Eberle, SEA vs. COL ($4,100): Eberle is nicely priced to complete your lineup. He has a point in each of his last three games – scoring once and adding two assists – after picking up 20 goals and 43 assists in 82 regular-season games. He has regained his offensive prowess after four seasons in which he averaged 40 points per year.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Avalanche at Kraken
Nathan MacKinnon (C-$10,100), Artturi Lehkonen (W-$5,600), Evan Rodrigues (W-$4,500)
MacKinnon has three goals and five points in his last three games, including two goals and an assist in Games 3 and 4 in Seattle. MacKinnon was outstanding in the regular season, finding the back of the net 42 times while adding 69 assists in just 71 games. It was the first time he has surpassed the 100-point mark in a season. Lehkonen was held off the scoresheet in each of the last two games, but he had a pair of two-point games before his mini-slump. Lehkonen had a career high 21 goals and 51 points in 64 games this season and sees action on the top line as well as the first power play. Rodrigues is on a four-game point streak with a goal and three assists. The 29-year-old had 16 goals and 39 points in 69 games this season and had six goals and 11 points with the man-advantage. The Avalanche have their backs to the wall and the reigning Stanley Cup champions need a win in Seattle to force a Game 7.
Bruins at Panthers
David Pastrnak (W - $9,600), Tyler Bertuzzi (W -$5,200), Patrice Bergeron (C - $5,900)
Pastrnak has not had a good postseason to date. He has only two goals in five contests, well below his outstanding regular season, where he found the back of the net 61 times -- second to Connor McDavid -- and was third in the NHL in points with 113. Bergeron returned to action from an upper-body in Game 5 and scored once. Bergeron had 27 goals and 58 points in 78 games this season. Bertuzzi had an injury-plagued season, playing only 50 games, but he came into his own in Boston after a trade from Detroit, picking up four goals and 16 points in 21 games. Bertuzzi was held off the scoresheet Wednesday for the first time in nine games. He has two goals and six points in five postseason games – as well as picking up 26 penalty minutes – and is a great price in DFS on Friday. The Bruins need to win Game 6 to avoid coming home for a pivotal Game 7 and look for Pastrnak and company to break loose.
DEFENSEMEN
Cale Makar, COL at SEA ($7,200): Makar was suspended for Game 5 after his hit on the Kraken's Jared McCann in Game 4. Makar should be on a mission as the Avalanche dropped Game 5 at home. Makar has a goal and three points in four playoff games, after tallying 17 goals and 66 points in only 60 regular-season contests. Look for a huge game out of Makar in Game 6.
Justin Schultz, SEA vs. COL ($3,600): Schultz has been terrific offensively in the playoffs, scoring once and adding four assists in five games. Schultz had a good regular season, scoring seven times and adding 27 assists in 73 games. He has really picked things up in the postseason and his low price gives him outstanding value in DFS.
