This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
Maybe the mayor of Tampa was onto something. Josh Anderson's two goals in Game 4 extended the series and now gives the Lightning a chance to clinch the Cup on home ice. It was a close game but the story was the same; the Canadiens were outshot 34-21, needed key saves from Carey Price and offense from the blue line – this time from Alexander Romanov – to win Game 4.
Given the positive result, it's unlikely the Habs will make any lineup changes, though they won't have last change on home ice this time.
Puck drop is at 8 p.m. EDT. All fancy stats courtesy Natural Stat Trick.
As with all FanDuel showdown formats, no goalies are available for selection and a Captain can be designated for 1.5x fantasy points. The remaining roster spots are not restricted by position.
VALUE PLAYS
Alex Killorn, TB vs. MON ($8,500): Killorn did not play in Game 4 but did participate in warmups, which indicates he's close to returning. If he does, he'll return to his usual spot on the second line and on the power play. He's tied for third on the team with four power-play goals and will certainly be a welcome addition after they went 0-for-5 with the man advantage last game. Just make sure he's in the Bolts' lineup before inserting him into yours.
Barclay Goodrow, TB vs. MON ($7,500): Goodrow's on a four-game point streak and the checking line has picked up some of the slack from the top line, which was held without a point in Game 4. He may have the lowest offensive ceiling among his linemates but he's been very productive so far. Blake Coleman ($10,000) is also on a four-game point streak but comes at a much higher salary.
LINE STACKS
Brayden Point ($14,000), Nikita Kucherov ($15,500), Ondrej Palat ($9,000)
Point and Kucherov have scored just one assist in the past three games but they're not playing poorly – it's just very difficult to beat Carey Price. The silver lining for Point and Kucherov is their home-road splits; both players have been much more productive on home ice with Point averaging 1.27 P/GP against 0.82 P/GP on the road and Kucherov averaging 2.00 P/GP at home against 0.91 P/GP on the road.
Nick Suzuki ($14,500), Cole Caufield ($12,500), Josh Anderson ($9,500)
The inclusion of Anderson on this rather than Toffoli brings the cost of the stack down by $2,500, which could make a big difference while filling out the rest of your entry. No other Habs line seems is nearly as dynamic on offense; Phillip Danault and Brendan Gallagher may be able to drive the net and create chances, but neither have been particularly good at finishing.
DEFENSEMEN
Victor Hedman, TB vs. MON ($11,500): Defensemen just aren't very advisable in showdown slates because how infrequently they score, and I would bet against Romanov scoring a point in two straight games. (He'll be the most popular player in Montreal if he does). Hedman is still at the top, the only defenseman who has point-per-game ability, especially with Jeff Petry and Shea Weber both nursing injuries.
