This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Tuesday's NHL slate begins at 7:00 p.m. EDT and includes two games. Below, you'll find an overview of the matchups and suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
SLATE PREVIEW
The Islanders and Golden Knights both grabbed 3-1 series leads Sunday, putting them in position to close out the Flyers and Canucks, respectively, in Tuesday's Game 5s. New York has outscored Philadelphia 13-7 through four games, while Vegas holds a 15-8 edge in goals over Vancouver.
GOALIES
Semyon Varlamov ($7,700) watched Thomas Greiss take the second of back-to-back games in Tuesday's win, but the man who presided over New York's first nine wins of the playoffs (against just two losses) should be back in the cage for this one. With a sparkling 1.69 GAA and .935 save percentage and facing a Flyers team that's scoring only 2.23 goals per game in the postseason, Varlamov is primed for another strong showing.
Like Varlamov, Robin Lehner ($8,100) ceded the net Tuesday but should man the crease for the Golden Knights here. Two of his first three appearances in this series have been shutout wins, so Lehner certainly has the upside to justify paying up for him.
While it was the second leg of a back-to-back, coach Alain Vigneault's decision to go with Brian Elliott over Carter Hart ($7,800) in Game 4 was puzzling, but Hart should be back in the starter's crease with the Flyers facing elimination. While the 22-year-old netminder has cooled off considerably in this series, allowing a few squeakers to trickle through him and just over the goal line, Hart still sports a superb 2.08 GAA and .931 save percentage in 11 appearances this postseason.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Bo Horvat ($6,300) has potted three of Vancouver's eight goals against the Golden Knights, bringing his postseason total to a team-high nine in 14 games. That goal total leads all skaters this postseason, making Horvat a strong choice despite his team's underdog status.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau ($4,800) has also been a consistent lamp-lighter this postseason, as his goal in Game 4 was Pageau's seventh in 13 games. The Islanders' trade deadline acquisition is no stranger to postseason success, with 19 goals in 48 career playoff contests, including a tally in three of this series' four games.
Alex Tuch ($4,600) saw his four-game goal streak come to an end in Game 4, but it's worth seeing whether he can start a new one here. The primary difference in this series has been the superiority of Vegas' bottom-six forward group, and Tuch's strong play has epitomized that theme.
Look for a strong performance out of Jakub Voracek ($4,900) with his back against the wall. The two-time 80-point scorer has consistently been one of Philadelphia's most noticeable skaters during this playoff run, leading the team in goals (four) and tied for second in points (eight).
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Golden Knights vs. Canucks
William Karlsson (C - $6,100), Max Pacioretty (W - $7,100), Mark Stone (W - $6,600)
Pacioretty (4-1-5, 18 shots) and Stone (2-4-6, eight shots) have been dominant in this series' first four games, and Vegas' top two regular season scorers should be worth their hefty prices here. Karlsson hasn't been quite as impactful as the wingers flanking him, though he does have a pair of five-shot outings in the last three games and lit the lamp in Game 4 for his second point of the series.
Islanders at Flyers
Brock Nelson (C - $5,800), Anthony Beauvillier (W - $5,100), Josh Bailey (W - $4,500)
Bailey and Beauvillier have been New York's most productive players this postseason, while Nelson's coming off a breakout performance in Game 4. Beauvillier it tied for the Islanders' team lead with seven goals in 13 postseason games, and his 11 points rank second behind Bailey's 13. Nelson has moved up to third in points with a 5-5-10 line following his two-goal effort in Game 4.
Canucks at Golden Knights
Elias Pettersson (C - $7,100), Tyler Toffoli (W - $5,300), Tanner Pearson (W - $4,400)
This line has accounted for five of Vancouver's eight goals in this series, and Horvat has all three of the others. Pettersson has a 6-11-17 line in 14 playoff games — only Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon (21) has more points than Pettersson this postseason. Toffoli returned from injury in Game 2 of this series, and he has racked up a 2-2-4 line in three games since. Pearson lit the lamp in Game 2 and has put three pucks on net in three of this series' four games.
DEFENSEMEN
Shea Theodore ($6,400) has been a premier source of offense from the blue line all playoffs. He has a six-game point streak going and multiple points in three of this series' four games, with a 4-10-14 line in 12 games overall this postseason for Vegas.
Ivan Provorov ($5,200) has had a quiet postseason offensively after posting a 13-23-36 line in 69 regular season games, as his goal in Game 4 gave him a mere 2-3-5 line in 13 playoff contests. Perhaps that tally will get the Russian blueliner going, and he'll be a high-floor option regardless thanks to consistent contributions in shots (nine this series). Provorov also ranked 29th in the league with 111 blocks in the regular season, so expect him to rack up some of those with his season on the line.
Quinn Hughes' ($5,000) exquisite passing ability gives him massive offensive upside, even on the underdog Canucks. He bagged two apples in the Game 4 loss, bringing his point total to 13 in 14 postseason games.
Devon Toews ($4,300) has done a bit of everything for the Islanders against Philadelphia. He has a goal, an assist, four shots and eight blocks while topping 18 minutes of ice time in every game.
