This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Welcome to March! There are three games on the docket for the NHL to kick the month off Friday. Here are my players to target, and to avoid, for your DFS lineups. Let's begin the new month with gusto.
GOALIE
Nico Daws, NJD at ANA ($20): No, Daws has not emerged as a legitimate number-one goalie in the NHL. However, he is in that role for the Devils, and he finds himself in an advantageous position Friday. The Ducks are in the bottom five in goals and shots on net per game, and they are also on the second leg of a back-to-back for good measure.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Charlie Lindgren, WAS vs. PHI ($32): Granted, it may not feel bold to suggest you avoid a goalie after he was beaten for eight goals, but Lindgren's 2.85 GAA and .908 save percentage are still better than most of what is out there Friday. The Flyers have been as unlucky as any offense. Their 2.98 goals per game ranks 21st, but their 33.5 shots on net per contest are top five.
CENTER
Shane Pinto, OTT vs. ARI ($23): Pinto's gambling suspension drew headlines, but now we can focus on the fact he's serving as the Senators' first-line center, and also has 13 points in 16 games. The Coyotes are on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back, so Karel Vejmelka will presumably be in goal. He has a 3.62 GAA and .891 save percentage.
CENTER TO AVOID
Mason McTavish, ANA vs. NJD ($19): McTavish's sophomore season is going swimmingly, but being on the second leg of a back-to-back is not ideal. Plus, the young center's role on the power play has been lessened, and he only has one point with the extra man over his last 18 games. No, the Devils don't have strong goaltending, but with only three contests on the schedule, I'm still highlighting McTavish as a player to avoid.
WING
Drake Batherson, OTT vs. ARI ($18): Though he's been down on the third line recently, Batherson is on a four-game point streak. While he's shooting less this season, last year he put 249 shots on net. The Coyotes are in the bottom 10 in shots on goal allowed per game, and aren't likely to be firing on all cylinders on the road for the second day of a back-to-back. That means Batherson should have plenty of opportunity.
Ondrej Palat, NJD at ANA ($17): Palat has picked up 10 points in his last 13 games. It helps that the Devils have both Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes healthy, allowing multiple lines to have an above-average center. Anaheim is in the bottom five in GAA and shots on net allowed per contest, so Palat could stay hot.
WINGS TO AVOID
Alex Ovechkin, WAS vs. PHI ($32 Ovechkin's bad puck luck has made his more reliant on quantity, and also the power play, than usual. He's needed 193 shots on net to tally 16 goals, and he has notched 17 of his 43 points with the extra man. The Flyers have the second-ranked penalty kill, though, and have allowed a mere 27.9 shots on goal per contest.
Lawson Crouse, ARI at OTT ($16): Crouse and company are, as I have noted, on the road for the second game of a back-to-back. Ottawa has not looked good defensively, especially on the penalty kill, but Crouse does not have a key role on the power play. As such, I'd avoid him Friday.
DEFENSE
Jakob Chychrun, OTT vs. ARI ($21): Chychrun will face his former team Friday. He also could be in for a massive role in this one. Both Thomas Chabot and Jake Sanderson are banged up. He could be in for first-pairing ice time, and top power-play unit time as well. This, against a team flirting with the bottom 10 in GAA, shots on net allowed per game, and penalty-kill percentage.
Luke Hughes, NJD at ANA ($11): Hughes has averaged 3:24 per game on the power play. The rookie has tallied 14 points with the extra man in 59 contests on the campaign. The Ducks are in the bottom eight on the penalty kill, and are playing their second game in as many days as well.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
John Carlson, WAS vs. PHI ($22): Carlson is shooting less this year, as he has 117 shots on net in 58 games. With the Flyers having only allowed 27.9 shots on goal per contest. The defenseman could easily be held without a shot on net for the fourth time in six games. Plus, 13 of his 34 points have come on the power play, and the Flyers have the second-ranked penalty kill.
J.J. Moser, ARI at OTT ($10): Moser has 22 points in 57 games, but has also only managed 56 shots on net. This is a back-to-back scenario, of course, and the addition of Sean Durzi this offseason changed the role for Moser on this team. He tallied 11 points with the extra man last year, but only has two this season.
