This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
With just one game on the docket Friday, the 8:00 PM Eastern time Hurricanes-Rangers matchup will be combined with Saturday's 14-game slate to form a 15-game Friday-Saturday NHL slate. The recommendations below will cover this mega-slate while putting extra focus on Friday's lone contest.
GOALIE
Henrik Lundqvist, NYR vs. CAR ($23): Lundqvist has a couple of splits working in his favor here -- he's been strong on home ice this season while dominating the Hurricanes throughout his career. The veteran Swede's 10-6-6 record, 2.77 GAA and .910 save percentage at Madison Square Garden easily exceed his 6-7-2, 3.43 and .900 marks on the road. In 41 career matchups with Carolina, he's 29-11-1 with a 2.03 GAA and .931 save percentage. Lundqvist will have a good opportunity for further improvement in both of those trends here, especially with the Hurricanes playing the second leg of a back-to-back.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Ben Bishop, DAL at ARI ($35): While Bishop has been cleared to play after sitting out Thursday's game with an undisclosed injury, it's best to make sure he's truly healthy before plugging him in at $35. It doesn't help matters that Dallas has struggled to a 10-13-3 road record this season.
CENTER
Mika Zibanejad, NYR vs. CAR ($22): If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Zibanejad's name has been showing up a lot here recently, but owners have little reason to look elsewhere considering the Swede has 10 goals and 16 points over his past eight games. He's also passing the eye test with flying colors while scoring in a variety of ways, so don't hesitate to lock Zibanejad in once more.
CENTER TO AVOID
Luke Glendening, DET at BUF ($16): There's nothing exciting about Glendening at $16. He scored two goals Jan. 22 but has just one other goal in his past 21 games. Glendening doesn't see power-play time, and his average of 4.5 fantasy points is the lowest among all centers that cost $16 or more.
WINGS
Brad Marchand, BOS vs. LA ($28): Marchand has racked up multiple points in five of his past nine games, only getting held off the scoresheet once in that span while totaling three goals and 11 assists over this productive stretch. He's likely to keep rolling here at TD Garden, where the enigmatic winger has largely managed to lay off the extracurricular activities and focus on scoring, to the tune of 38 points (13 goals) in 28 home games.
Jakub Voracek, PHI vs. ANH ($19): The Flyers and Ducks are heading in opposite directions. Philadelphia's 8-0-1 in its last nine games, and Voracek has been a key contributor in this strong stretch with 10 points and a plus-7 rating. Meanwhile, the Ducks have been outscored 31-6 during their current six-game losing streak and just watched starting netminder John Gibson exit with an injury Thursday.
WINGS TO AVOID
Johnny Gaudreau, CGY at VAN ($33): Gaudreau is fighting it a bit right now, having scored negative fantasy points in three of his past four games. Johnny Hockey will get back on track eventually, but it's tough to invest $33 in a player mired in such a rut.
Micheal Ferland, CAR at NYR ($18): Ferland has seen his ice time drop recently, as he's skating just 13:18 per game over the past eight. He kicked off this stretch with a two-assist performance but has just one goal, two assists and 13 shots over the past seven games. It's going to be hard for Ferland to improve as long as his opportunities to play remain so limited.
DEFENSEMEN
Dougie Hamilton, CAR at NYR ($18): Hamilton ranks among the league leaders in shots on goal by defensemen (third to be exact), and putting rubber on net is starting to pay off for him after some poor puck luck earlier this season. Over his past 16 games, Hamilton has six goals and five assists to go with a robust 43 shots and a plus-9 rating. A Rangers team that's looking up at the Hurricanes in the standings will have a hard time slowing Hamilton down.
Tony DeAngelo, NYR vs. CAR ($15): DeAngelo has responded well to his recent banishment to the press box, racking up a point in each of his two games since returning to the lineup following a two-game absence. That recent productivity, coupled with the seventh-round shootout winner over Boston on Wednesday, should have the talented young blueliner brimming with confidence ahead of this matchup with a Hurricanes team that the Rangers handled 6-2 at Madison Square in their last meeting on Jan. 15. DeAngelo scored twice in that one.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Kevin Shattenkirk, NYR vs. CAR ($18): Shattenkirk's seen his ice time cut dramatically in the past two games, averaging just 15:08 even though both contests went to overtime. He hasn't earned any more run with a combined minus-0.1 fantasy point in those two contests. Shattenkirk's failed to live up to his $18 valuation all season with an average of just 4.3 fantasy points per game, and he's an even less appetizing play given his recent downward trend.
Keith Yandle, FLA at WAS ($19): Yandle's extreme home/road splits make him tough to trust in this road meeting with the reigning champs. He's playing at a point-per-game pace in 25 home contests to go with a plus-2 rating, but Yandle's deficiencies in his own zone aren't as easily hidden with the opposition having last change on the road. In 27 away matches, the veteran blueliner has just two goals, 13 assists and a minus-19 rating.
