This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
There are two games on the NHL schedule Thursday. Carolina takes a 2-0 series lead into New York to face the Islanders, while Florida travels across the state to take on the Lightning, which also trail the best-of-seven series 2-0. Below, you'll find suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
GOALIES
Frederik Andersen, CAR at NYI ($8,000): This is assuming Andersen gets the start – as he finally went back-to-back in the first two games of the series for the first time Oct. 30-Nov. 2. Andersen was sensational in Game 1, stopping 33 shots in a 3-1 win over the Islanders, but he turned aside only nine of 12 New York shots in Game 2 as the Hurricanes overcame a 3-0 deficit to beat the Islanders 5-3. The series shifts to Long Island, but I still think Andersen has played well enough to earn another start. Andersen is 11-1-0 with a 1.42 GAA and a .946 save percentage since returning from a blood clotting issue that kept him out of action for over four months. Should Pyotr Kochetkov get the start, use him instead of Andersen.
Andrei Vasilevskiy, TB vs. FLA ($7,600): The Lightning return home after losing a tough Game 2 battle in overtime to the Panthers. Vasilevskiy was great between the pipes, stopping 34 shots in the 3-2 loss Tuesday, and the Lightning need him to turn it around in Game 3 to avoid going down 3-0 in the best-of-seven series. Vasilevskiy was 9-2-1 from Mar. 9-Apr. 11, but he has lost his last four games in a row. I look for him to turn it around Thursday and get Tampa Bay back in the series.
VALUE PLAYS
Anders Lee, NYI vs. CAR ($4,700): Lee has a goal and an assist in the first two games of the series, leading the Islanders in points. Lee struggled during the season with only 20 goals and 37 points, but he had seven shots on goal in Game 1 and scored on the power play with his only shot on goal in Game 2. Lee also had a pair of assists in his final game of the regular season, so he is on a three-game point streak.
Evgeny Kuznetsov, CAR at NYI ($4,500): Kuznetsov has the pedigree to always be capable of a big game and that was on show Saturday, as he managed to score once and add an assist in the Hurricanes' 3-1 win. Kuznetsov has been seeing fourth line duty of late, which also puts him against weaker opponents, and is still producing on the second power play. If you need an inexpensive center to fill out your lineup, Kuznetsov is a good choice.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Hurricanes at Islanders
Sebastian Aho (C-$8,500), Jake Guentzel (W-$9,200), Seth Jarvis (W-$7,600)
The line has combined for seven points in Game 2, after being shut out in the opening game of the series. The Hurricanes were down 3-0 in Game 2 but Jarvis led the comeback with a goal and two assists, while Aho and Guentzel each had a goal and an assist. Aho and Jarvis were a strong duo during the regular season and only got better when Guentzel joined the team from Pittsburgh after the trade deadline. Guentzel had eight goals and 25 points in 17 regular season games for the Hurricanes, as the trio combined for 63 points once Guentzel entered the lineup.
Lightning vs. Panthers
Nikita Kucherov (C - $10,100), Brayden Point (W-$8,800), Anthony Duclair (W - $5,600)
The Lightning's top line is led by the NHL's leading scorer in the regular season, Kucherov, who managed 44 goals and 100 assists in 81 games. Kucherov has an assist in each of the Lightning's first two games of the series. Point has a goal and an assist in the opening two games, after scoring 46 goals and 90 points in the regular season. Duclair had eight goals and 15 points in 17 games with the Lightning, following his trade from San Jose at the deadline. The line must take charge to get Tampa Bay back in the series as they trail 2-0 in the best-of-seven series.
DEFENSEMEN
Aaron Ekblad, FLA at TB ($4,400): Ekblad missed the final six games of the regular season with an undisclosed injury, but he was back in the lineup for Game 1. Ekblad has an assist, three shots on goal, 12 hits and six blocked shots in the first two games of the series and has been a viable DFS blueliner, especially at his price.
Mike Reilly, NYI vs. CAR ($6,400): Reilly picked up an assist in Game 2 as he has taken over quarterbacking the first power play from Noah Dobson. His assist came on a five-on-five situation. He finished the regular season with a goal and five points in his last six games, making Reilly a good DFS pick Thursday.
