This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
There are only two games on tap in the NHL on Wednesday. Florida will try to avoid elimination, as they travel to Boston down 3-1 in the best-of-seven series. Colorado will host Seattle with the series all tied up at 2-2. Below, you'll find suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
GOALIES
Linus Ullmark, BOS vs. FLA ($8,500): The Bruins will try and end the series Wednesday with Ullmark between the pipes. He had a tough Game 2, giving up five goals on 29 shots in his only loss to the Panthers, but he has been great in his three wins, giving up five goals on 106 shots. Ullmark was the top goaltender in the regular season, going 40-6-1 with a 1.89 GAA and .938 save percentage. Surprisingly, he had only two shutouts all season.
Alexandar Georgiev, COL vs. SEA ($8,000): Georgiev has played well in the playoffs, giving up 12 goals on 131 shots, after an outstanding regular season, where he was 40-16-6 with a 2.53 GAA and .918 save percentage. The Avalanche are back in Denver for Game 5, where Georgiev was 18-9-6 with a 2.41 GAA and .920 save percentage. The Kraken have been pesky in the playoffs, but will be without their top goal-scorer -- Jared McCann -- who suffered an undisclosed injury in Game 4, when he was checked into the boards by Cale Makar.
VALUE PLAYS
Ryan Donato, SEA at COL ($3,600): Donato will move up to the top line, replacing Jared McCann (undisclosed). Donato had 14 goals and 27 points in 71 regular-season games this season, and while he has yet to garner a point in the playoffs, his spot on the top unit with Matty Berniers and Jordan Eberle, makes him a great and more importantly, inexpensive play Wednesday.
Oliver Bjorkstrand, SEA at COL ($4,000): Bjorkstrand had a nice season with the Kraken, scoring 20 times and adding 25 helpers in 81 games. Bjorkstrand was a force on the second power play as well in the regular season, scoring five times while setting up five others. He has one assist in four games thus far in the postseason.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Bruins vs. Panthers
David Pastrnak (W - $9,500), Patrice Bergeron (C -$5,900), Tyler Bertuzzi (W - $5,200)
Pastrnak has been held to only two goals in four games by the Panthers, but he is expected to get Bergeron back at center for Game 5. Pastrnak was outstanding in the regular season, finishing second in goals with 61, while his 113 points tied him for third with Nikita Kucherov. As stated, Bergeron is expected to return to the Boston lineup after he suffered an upper-body injury in the regular-season finale. Bergeron finished third on the Bruins in scoring with 58 points in 78 games. Bertuzzi has been a gem in the playoffs, scoring twice and adding four assists in four contests. He is second in Boston scoring, trailing only Taylor Hall, who has seven points. Bertuzzi and Bergeron are inexpensive, making it easy to add Pastrnak to the lineup.
Avalanche vs. Kraken
Nathan MacKinnon (C-$9,900), Artturi Lehkonen (W-$5,800), Evan Rodrigues (W-$4,200)
MacKinnon was held to nary a shot on goal Monday, the first time this season that he has been unable to get a shot on net. MacKinnon still managed an assist after scoring a pair of goals in Game 3 Saturday, giving the star center four points in four contests. He was outstanding in the regular season, picking career highs in goals (42) and assists (69) in just 71 games. His 366 shots on goal were also a career high as he averaged 5.15 shots per game. Look for a big comeback game from MacKinnon in Game 5. Lehkonen also has four points in four playoff games, after a great playoff in 2022, when he potted eight goals and six assists in 20 games. Rodrigues has moved up to the top line in even-strength situations – as well as playing on the second power play – and has assists in each of the last three games. Rodrigues ended the season with 16 goals and 39 points in 69 contests this season. He has great value Wednesday due to his low salary.
DEFENSEMEN
Vince Dunn, SEA at COL ($4,200): Dunn has yet to pick up a point in the playoffs, but it is only a matter of time as the defenseman had a career year in the regular season. Dunn ended the year with 14 goals and 50 assists, easily eclipsing his previous career highs of 12 goals, set in 2018-19 and 28 assists, set last season. Dunn has been the quarterback of the first power play, which was held goalless in five opportunities during Games 1 and 2 in Colorado.
Devon Toews, COL vs. SEA ($5,300): Toews takes over quarterbacking the top power play unit for the Avalanche as Colorado will be missing Cale Makar in Game 5 due to a suspension for his hit on Jared McCann on Monday. That gives Toews an extra boost in value. He has a goal and three assists in four playoff games, after ending the 2022-23 campaign with seven goals and 50 points in 80 games.
