This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Sunday's six-game slate features plenty of worthy matchups, with three teams crossing the border to meet their foe. The first game will start early with a scheduled 12:30 PM EST puck drop, so be sure to set your lineup early. Here are some players to help guide your decisions:
GOALIE
Andrei Vasilevskiy, TB at NYI ($33): The 24-year-old hasn't missed a beat since returning from a foot injury, winning nine of the last 11 games. He's also been stellar against the Islanders during his career, recording a 5-2-0 record and .936 save percentage. Vasilevskiy is a pricey option but favorable matchups are hard to come by in this slate, so he's worth the extra change.
GOALIE TO AVOID
John Gibson, ANA at WPG ($31): The Ducks are a mess and Gibson has taken the brunt of the trauma with losses in eight straight starts and posting an unimpressive .896 save percentage over that span. Don't get me wrong, he's keeping Anaheim in games it doesn't belong, but Gibson is poised to reach his breaking point yet again versus a high-powered Jets offense.
CENTER
Mikael Backlund, CGY vs. ARI ($19): The Coyotes are entering Calgary with a battered lineup on the second half of back-to-back games. Backlund will look to feast on that matchup, as he's buzzing with four goals, an assist and 20 shots on net in the last seven games. He should also benefit from an opportunity to tee off on a struggling Adin Hill in Arizona's crease.
CENTER TO AVOID
Ryan Getzlaf, ANA at WPG ($22): Getzlaf is coming off a two-point Friday night performance, but that impressive outing was preceded by an eight-game drought where the Ducks' captain posted a minus-13 rating. The Ducks aren't showing any signs of life lately and a visit to Winnipeg's raucous atmosphere won't help right the ship.
WINGS
Artemi Panarin, CLS vs. NYR ($23): Panarin has scored the overtime goal in back-to-back games, so he's certainly rocking in the clutch and now has notched seven goals and seven helpers over the last 10 outings. He's also had major success against the Rangers during the last two seasons, with six goals and three assists over six games. Based on those stats, Panarin is criminally underpriced.
Kevin Fiala, NSH at CAR ($18): The slow start was disgruntling, but Fiala is in his groove. Take warning. The 22-year-old now has two tallies, eight assists and an impressive plus-6 rating in the last eight games. He's also starting a whopping 66.3 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, helping him manage a 53.5 Corsi For percentage. Although the Hurricanes are sound defensively, they're set up nicely for Fiala by yielding at least three goals in five of their last six games.
WINGS TO AVOID
Teuvo Teravainen, CAR vs. NSH ($20): Teravainen is a supremely talented winger, but he's a boom-or-bust option. Over the last 12 games, the 24-year-old has recorded 11 points – but they've all been generated in just four games while going pointless in the remaining eight. I'm leaning toward bust in this outing against the Predators' top-ranked defense at 2.50 goals allowed per game.
Rickard Rakell, ANA at WPG ($20): Rakell has returned from an ankle injury and resumed his place on the top line, but something has made him unsteady all year. The Swede owns a brutal 5.4 shooting percentage – down from a combined 15.1 percent over the previous three campaigns – and has been limited to just five power-play points in 32 games. Until he figures it out, leave Rakell on the shelf.
DEFENSEMEN
Victor Hedman, TB at NYI ($24): Hedman collected a pair of assists Saturday night versus the Sabres to mark his 10th point in the last nine games. His next victim will be the Islanders and its brutal penalty kill at 77.2 percent, which barely stands a chance against the Lightning's top-ranked power play where Hedman has registered over half of his points this year. Hedman's surcharge looks like a bargain in this instance.
Mattias Ekholm, NSH at CAR ($18): Just 45 games into the season, Ekholm is a point away from a career-high 35 points while riding a five-game point streak – three goals, six assists – into this outing. Ekholm also logs major minutes with the man advantage which will come in handy versus the Hurricanes, who have allowed six goals over the last six games to opposing power plays.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Alexander Edler, FLA at VAN ($21): Edler has pounded the net with shots lately by marking 25 in the last 10 games, but he's lit the lamp just once during that stretch. Those scoring struggles will be compounded by his reliance on the power play, with over half his points this season coming with the man advantage. Although the Panthers have been slumping lately, they've killed 17 of their last 18 penalties and are set up well to stymie Edler.
Ryan McDonagh, TB at NYI ($19): McDonagh turned heads with his production to begin the season, but it's recently slowed to a halt. He's fired just four shots on net over the last nine games and notched two points in that span. McDonagh's simply not in a position right now to contribute in the fantasy realm.
