This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Saturday is going to be a fun one for fans of late-night hockey. There are eight games starting at 7 p.m. EST or later, with six of those starting at 10 p.m. or later. Get ready for some post-midnight hockey, East Coast folks. Here are some players to target, and to avoid, for your DFS lineups.
GOALIE
Frederik Andersen, CAR vs. WAS ($31): This is the Stadium Series game, so circumstances are different than usual. However, I'd still go with Andersen in net. He's been iffy since returning from injury, but he has a 2.50 GAA because the Hurricanes have allowed a mere 26.4 shots on net per contest. The Capitals are 20th in goals per game, and right now they are without Alex Ovechkin and John Carlson.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Darcy Kuemper, WAS at CAR ($29): Kuemper has a 2.63 GAA and .914 save percentage, but over his last 10 starts he has a 2.96 GAA and .901 save percentage. The Hurricanes, meanwhile, have averaged 3.35 goals and 34.9 shots on net per contest, both of which are top 10 in the NHL.
CENTER
Logan Couture, SAN vs. BUF ($17): Couture has 13 points over his last 16 games, though five of those admittedly came in one game against the Penguins. That being said, he also has put 43 shots on net in that time. The Sabres have a 3.47 GAA, which is poor as is, but recently their goaltending has been so spotty that three different goalies have gotten starts since the All-Star break. When you are hoping Eric Comrie can help stabilize your crease, you're in trouble.
CENTER TO AVOID
Jack Eichel, VGK vs. TAM ($27): Eichel is on a three-game point streak, but prior to that he had two points over 11 games. The primary reason I think his point streak will end, though, is the goalie in the opposing net. Andrei Vasilevskiy has a 2.53 GAA and .920 save percentage.
WING
Nick Schmaltz, ARI at LOS ($18): Schmaltz quietly had 59 points in 63 games last year, and this year he has 35 points in 39 outings. He's also skating on Arizona's top line and has averaged 19:40 per game on the ice. The Kings are on the second leg of a back-to-back, and Jonathan Quick could be in net. He has a 3.41 GAA and .881 save percentage.
Owen Tippett, PHI at VAN ($17): Tippett never quite took off in Florida, but he's only 24 and is getting a chance with a rebuilding Flyers team. The 10th overall pick in 2017 has 15 goals and 15 assists in 51 games. He's also averaged 2:18 per game with the extra man and has seven power-play points. I'm focused on that, because the Canucks have the league's worst penalty kill.
WINGS TO AVOID
Chris Kreider, NYR at CGY ($22): The Rangers are on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back, which is not a strong starting point for Kreider. While the Flames have gotten some spotty goaltending, the defense has allowed a mere 27.5 shots on net per contest, and they also have the sixth-ranked penalty kill. Fourteen of Kreider's 39 points have come with the extra man, and he has been particularly reliant on the power play the last couple of years.
Jonathan Marchessault, VGK vs. TAM ($19): Marchessault is a guy who gets things done via quantity rather than quality, but recently his shooting has not worked out for him. He doesn't have a goal over his last 13 games. Now, his puck luck should balance out a bit eventually but maybe not against Vasilevskiy, who is perhaps the best netminder in the NHL.
DEFENSE
Morgan Rielly, TOR vs. MON ($20): Rielly is on a five-game point streak, including his first two goals of the season. The Canadiens have a 3.64 GAA and have allowed 33.8 shots on net per contest, and Jake Allen has an .895 save percentage as well. Rielly could easily move that point streak to six games, especially if his puck luck continues to regress toward the mean (he's still only shooting at a 2.5 percent clip.)
Rasmus Andersson, CGY vs. NYR ($17): Andersson returned Thursday from being hit by a car and played 19:49 and picked up an assist, so he's apparently no worse for wear. The same likely won't be true for the Rangers, who are on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back. Igor Shesterkin started Friday, so Jaroslav Halak will likely be in net Saturday. He has a .907 save percentage.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Rasmus Dahlin, BUF at SAN ($29): Dahlin has always thrived on the power play, and this year is no different. He's averaged 3:57 per game with the extra man and has tallied 26 of his 58 points on the power play. The Sharks are, all in all, poor defensively, but they have a top-three penalty kill. That's enough for me to avoid Dahlin's salary on the road.
Erik Gustafsson, WAS at CAR ($17): Gustafsson has stepped up with Carlson out, and his 6.6 percent shooting has helped on that front. The Hurricanes have allowed the fewest shots on net per game though, and they are also in the top eight in GAA and penalty-kill percentage. Plus, in outdoor games, if any variable ends up coming into play, it's typically the ice being sketchy, which can hinder offense.
