This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
GOALIE
Jordan Binnington, STL at WPG ($7,600): Binnington turned in another strong performance in Game 4 only to come up short in overtime. No series has ever gone seven games with the road team winning every game, but the Flames-Sharks conference final in 2004 came close. I sense the same thing will happen here with a non-elimination game, with the road team winning and the eventual winner of the series being the first team to snap the pattern.
CENTER
Paul Stastny, VGK at SJ ($5,700): The Knights' "second line" has scored 28 points through four games, and the Sharks have no choice but to turn to the embattled Martin Jones for Game 5 after Aaron Dell allowed three goals on 20 shots in a relief appearance. Stastny and Max Pacioretty have played together in the past, but Mark Stone has elevated them into elite status. Home-ice advantage won't be a huge factor; Stastny registered three assists in the first two games of the series.
Joe Thornton, SJ vs. VGK ($3,900): The Sharks missed Thornton a 5-0 loss in Game 4, and while he alone is unlikely to change the outcome of the series, it does give them a better chance. With last change on home ice, Peter DeBoer can be more selective deploying Thornton, who scored 30 of his 51 points at home during the season.
WING
Reilly Smith, VGK at SJ ($5,400): San Jose's goaltending is so shaky at the moment Peter DeBoer probably locked himself in a room and cried for 20 minutes after naming Martin Jones his starter for Game 5. Smith pitched in two assists in Game 4 and his line has taken a back seat to Paul Stastny's, but in a series that has featured a lot of goals, Smith is their cheapest top-six winger.
David Perron, STL at WPG ($5,100): He didn't score a point but he had one of his strongest performances in Game 4 with a blocked shot, two hits and three shots in 18 minutes. Craig Berube is leaning on his top two lines a lot, and the added bonus for Perron is his role at the front of the net on the top power-play unit. Through four games, he's been one of the Blues' top forwards with three points and eight shots on goal.
Warren Foegele, CAR vs. WAS ($2,900): Foegele will take Andrei Svechnikov's place on the second line with Justin Williams and Jordan Staal after scoring two goals and three points in a pivotal Game 3. He played 14 minutes that game, and expect that number to increase in a bigger role. Despite the strong performance and a promotion, Foegele is still a high-risk play.
DEFENSE
Dougie Hamilton, CAR vs. WAS ($5,700): He's been brilliant so far for the 'Canes, scoring four points in three games and scoring two goals in Game 3 to avoid a potential sweep. He led all players with six shots in a game the Hurricanes thoroughly dominated, outshooting the Caps 45-18. Conventional thought is that Hamilton would struggle in the more physical playoffs, but his career point-per-game average is actually higher in the playoffs.
Shea Theodore, VGK at SJ ($5,100): When the Knights took him, they envisioned him as their go-to offensive defenseman, and in his second season he's really blossomed in that role. He scored 37 points during the season to lead the team's defensemen, and in the playoffs he's added another six in four games. His upside is substantial, and both Erik Karlsson ($6,300) and Brent Burns ($6,800) have struggled in the past two games with a combined minus-4 rating.
