This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
It's another short Sunday slate, and only one of eight teams are on the second half of back-to-back games. Scoring will be at a premium with half the teams ranking in the bottom-third of the league in goals per game. Here are some players to roster and some to avoid:
GOALIE
David Rittich, CGY at ARI ($34): After a suspect 2017-18 campaign, Rittich has been a pleasant surprise for the Flames with a .930 save percentage and 8-2-0 record while wresting the starter's net from Mike Smith. Whether he can maintain this play all season is an issue for another time, but Rittich is a top play against the league's third-worst offense at 2.43 goals per game.
GOALIE TO AVOID
John Gibson, ANA vs. NAS ($33): Gibson continues to stand out as one of the top goaltenders in the league with a .928 save percentage and allowing two goals or less in 12 of 19 appearances. However, he has posted an 8-7-4 record as Anaheim's offense is in the cellar at 2.17 goals per game, so the odds are stacked against him versus one of the league's top-ranked teams.
CENTER
Ryan Johansen, NAS at ANA ($19): Johansen's on pace for a career-high in points with 21 in 23 games, while excelling in the two-way game with a plus-11 rating and an astounding 57.3 Corsi For percentage. Fantasy owners should be sure to harvest on the modest price tag.
CENTER TO AVOID
Nico Hischier, NJ at TB ($19): Hischier appears to have solid value with 13 points in 17 games while averaging nearly four minutes on the man advantage per game. The 20-year old has been flaky this year by going pointless in nine contests, including a matchup versus the Lightning in October where he recorded a minus-4 rating and fired just one shot on goal.
WINGS
Drake Caggiula, EDM at LOS ($13): Caggiula had a cup of coffee on Connor McDavid's line and has since been dropped down to the second line, but the 24-year-old retains plenty of value. He has tallied two goals and two assists in the last five games and a career-high 52.3 Corsi For percentage this year. Take a flyer on Caggiula against an injury-riddled Kings' crease.
Nick Ritchie, ANA vs. NAS ($12): Ritchie quietly rides a four-game point streak headed into Sunday's matchup, and he's put up a respectable plus-3 over that span. Any meeting with Pekka Rinne and the Predators is tough, but Ritchie's price tag is right for someone with a spot on the power play.
WINGS TO AVOID
Ilya Kovalchuk, LOS vs. EDM ($20): Kovalchuk's in the midst of his first real slump since returning to North America, going pointless in the last eight games while adding a minus-7 rating. The power-play minutes may not provide much solace as the Oilers have allowed just one goal against the man-advantage in the last three contests.
Clayton Keller, ARI vs. CGY ($17): The 20-year-old mans the top line at both even strength and the power play, but he's posted just one helper in the last five games despite rifling 16 shots on net in that span. Calgary's not an easy team to break slumps against, with an average of 2.14 goals against over the last seven contests.
DEFENSEMEN
Ryan McDonagh, TB vs. NJ ($17): Even when he's not stacking the scoresheet, McDonagh provides a steady floor with 51 blocked shots and a plus-15 rating in 23 games. Lately, McDonagh's been on fire, racking up five points and a plus-6 rating in the last three games - making his humble price tag a steal.
Sami Vatanen, NJ at TB ($14): Vatanen sends 2.5 shots to the net per game – the most of the Devils' defensemen. That's produced eight points in 18 games, and he lands a firm floor with 31 blocked shots during that span. The 27-year-old logs over 22 minutes of ice time per game including power-play time, so his $14 sale price will help owners save cash in the short slate.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Kris Russell, EDM at LOS ($16): The shot-blocking guru hasn't brought much else to the table this season. He's notched a point in just four of 22 games and averages less than a shot on goal per game. The floor simply isn't far from the ceiling here, making Russell an overpriced commodity.
Josh Mahura, ANA vs. NAS ($18): If Mahura's an unfamiliar name for you, don't be alarmed. The 20-year-old has logged just three NHL games. His stat line is decent with one assist, six shots on goal and a plus-3 rating, but it's still puzzling he's the highest-priced Ducks' blueliner. Steer clear of the rookie going up against Pekka Rinne for the first time.
