This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
The Stanley Cup Finals begin Monday, and Yahoo has a single-game contest where you're not position restricted and can select five players while staying under a $115 salary cap. Tampa Bay has home-ice advantage and is a notable favorite over Montreal, so stacking the defending champions probably will be a popular strategy.
All statistics from Natural Stat Trick and Hockey Reference.
Picks
Andrei Vasilevskiy, TB vs. MON ($37): There's no reason to avoid Vasilevskiy on Monday. His salary isn't prohibitive enough to prevent you from building a solid lineup around him, and he's posted an elite .936 save percentage and 1.99 GAA through 18 playoff starts.
Carey Price, MON at TB ($33): Similar to his counterpart in the opposite crease, Price has been outstanding for the Canadiens, and his salary doesn't completely eliminate your lineup options. He's won 11 of his past 13 starts with a .938 save percentage and 1.85 GAA, too.
Ondrej Palat, TB vs. MON ($19): After recording 2.87 points per 60 minutes during the regular season, Palat has dipped to a 1.82 mark during the postseason, including just six points through his past 14 contests. The top-line winger probably has positive offensive regression ahead and might fly under the radar because of his current form.
Yanni Gourde, TB vs. MON ($15): Gourde plays a meaningful role for the Lightning and often lands in favorable five-on-five matchups. He also enters the game in solid form with two goals, 13 shot attempts and five individual high-danger scoring chances through his past three outings.
Ryan McDonagh, TB vs. MON ($15): While the veteran defenseman has just a single assist through his past 13 contests, he has racked up 29 blocked shots and averaged a hefty 23:14 of ice time per game. McDonagh's peripheral statistics provide a solid floor, and he's probably another candidate for some scoring statistical correction moving forward.
Artturi Lehkonen, MON at TB ($13): A promotion up the lineup has Lehkonen's value on the rise. He's attempted 41 shots and generated a team-high 14 individual high-danger scoring chances through nine games since joining a line with Phillip Danault ($13) and Brendan Gallagher ($16). Lehknonen's salary also provides cap relief.
Pans
Nick Suzuki, MON at TB ($20): The 21-year-old center has been exceptional for the Canadiens, and he's proven capable of producing consistent offense against the opposition's best players. Still, the Lightning are deep, and there won't be many soft matchups for Suzuki on Monday. It could be wise to take a wait-and-see approach.
Shea Weber, MON at TB ($17): It's been a solid but unspectacular postseason for Weber, and he's struggled on the road with just two assists and a minus-3 rating. He's a good bet to rack up some fantasy points through shots and blocks, but neither his fantasy ceiling or floor are high enough to make him a priority in Game 1.
