This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Friday is an unusual one for the NHL. There are only two games, and one of them is starting at 2:00 p.m. ET. Why? Because it is happening in Finland. The league has largely cleared out to give that matinee offering a showcase. Pickings are slim for your lineups, but here are some players to target, and to avoid, for DFS purposes.
GOALIE
Alexandar Georgiev, COL vs. CLM ($35): When you see a goalie posting a .918 save percentage but a 2.81 GAA, you get worried about the number of shots he's facing. However, I don't think the defending champs in Colorado are going to keep allowing 33.0 shots on net per contest. The Blue Jackets added Johnny Gaudreau this offseason, but they've still only averaged 2.60 goals and 29.7 shots on net per game.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Antti Raanta, CAR at BUF ($28): Raanta has a 2.43 GAA in his time with the Hurricanes. His team has played excellent defense in front of him, and even though he often plays on the second night of a back-to-back, the Finnish goalie has been fine more often than not. Even so, I don't want to go with Raanta in a back-to-back Friday. The Sabres have started the season scorching hot offensively, having scored 4.30 goals per contest.
CENTER
Casey Mittelstadt, BUF vs. CAR ($15): Trying to find a center that isn't at the very top of the salary structure – though I wouldn't blanch at most of those big names Friday – I landed on Middlestadt. Centering Buffalo's second line, he has seven points in 10 games, even though he only has a 5.3 shooting percentage. The Sabres are catching the Hurricanes on the second night of a back-to-back as well.
CENTER TO AVOID
Jack Roslovic, CLM at COL ($17): Roslovic has been moved up to center Columbus' top line, but he doesn't have a point in any of his last three games. In fact, all five of his points were concentrated in a three-game stretch. Georgiev has a .918 save percentage, and the Avalanche should start allowing fewer shots on net.
WING
Martin Necas, CAR at BUF ($19): A few Hurricanes are off to slow starts, but not Necas. He's racked up 14 points in 10 games, and he's had over 40 points in each of his last two seasons. Eric Comrie got a chance with the Sabres built on performing well as the Jets' backup goalie last year, but this season he has a 3.29 GAA and .898 save percentage.
Evan Rodrigues, COL vs. CLM ($18): Rodrigues has been moved onto Colorado's top line, and it seems like it could be good for him. All four of his goals have come in his last five games, and it's always nice to get to play with Nathan MacKinnon as your center. It's also nice to get to face Elvis Merzlikins, who has a 4.75 GAA and .864 save percentage.
WINGS TO AVOID
Patrik Laine, CLM at COL ($18): Since returning to the lineup from injury, Laine doesn't have a single point in three games. He's in his native Finland on Friday, but he's also facing a goalie in Georgiev with a .918 save percentage.
Teuvo Teravainen, CAR vs. BUF ($16): This is more looking at a player off to a cold start and performing below expectations. Through 10 games, Teravainen has only three points, all assists. Sure, eventually he may turn it around, but on the second leg of a back-to-back, he has one more obstacle in his way toward righting the ship.
DEFENSE
Brent Burns, CAR vs. BUF ($20): Burns has a five-game point streak, and he's already put 41 shots on goal in 10 contests. He's also already got a huge role on the power play and has racked up four points with the extra man. Buffalo has a below-average penalty kill, and it also has a goalie in Comrie with an .898 save percentage.
Devon Toews, COL vs. CLM ($17): Toews missed time this season, but he has four points and 15 shots on goal through seven games. That comes after he had 57 points in 63 games last year, his first campaign with the Avalanche. As I noted, Merzlikins has a 4.75 GAA and .864 save percentage this year.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
Zach Werenski, CLM at COL ($21): Werenski is putting a lot of shots on net, and if the Avalanche continue to struggle to prevent shots, that could pay off here. However, as I said, I think that is not going to remain the case. I also don't think Georgiev will continue to have a .918 save percentage, but he's been the best goalie of anybody in action Friday, or at least among the three teams not on a back-to-back.
Owen Power, BUF at CAR ($15): Power is an exciting rookie, and he does have five assists, but he's only put 12 shots on goal. Also, Rasmus Dahlin rules the roost on the power play, which tamps down Power's power-play time. The Hurricanes did lead the league in GAA, shots on net allowed per game, and penalty-kill percentage last year, and most of the same pieces are still in place this season.
