This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
A wild ride ends Sunday. The first round of the NHL playoffs comes to a conclusion. After this, it will be business as usual. Well, other than the fact two 12-seeds will be in the postseason. There are three games taking place Sunday. The first one is at 12 p.m. EDT, which is unfortunate for you folks on the West Coast. However, since there are only three games and as there is no NHL action until Tuesday, I wanted to include all the action. So here are my players to target, and to avoid, for your daily fantasy lineup.
GOALIE
Jake Allen, STL vs. DAL ($27): After a rough start from Jordan Binnington, Allen is drawing the final start for the Blues in the round robin. He was no slouch this season and actually outplayed Binnington by posting a 2.15 GAA and .927 save percentage over 24 appearances. This also represents a nice matchup, as the Stars only scored 2.58 goals per contest.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Joonas Korpisalo, CLM at TOR ($32): Who is going to get the start? Will it be Korpisalo or will it be Elvis Merzlikins? Korpisalo got pulled in his last start, while Merzlikins fell apart at the end of Game 4 and that's the only reason why there's a Game 5. And that last part may give Korpisalo the edge over his rookie teammate. Either way, the Maple Leafs averaged 3.39 goals and 32.9 shots on net per contest so either Blue Jackets netminder appears risky.
CENTER
Pierre-Luc Dubois, CLM at TOR ($19): Four of the six teams in action Sunday ranked in the top five in GAA this year, so this is not a great day for finding offensive players for your DFS lineup. Then there are the Maple Leafs, who allowed 3.17 goals per game this year. Dubois started 61.6 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone this season, highest on the Blue Jackets. He didn't take a step forward this year after his impressive sophomore campaign, but he did register a hat trick in Game 3 and added an assist in Game 4.
CENTER TO AVOID
Evgeny Kuznetsov, WAS vs. BOS ($20): Kuznetsov's numbers took a dip, largely because he went from notching 23 points with the extra man to only managing 12. Considering the Bruins boasted the third-ranked penalty kill, there isn't likely to be much luck here. Oh, and Boston also produced an NHL-best 2.39 GAA for good measure.
WING
David Perron, STL vs. DAL ($21): Perron has scored a goal in both of the round-robin games so far. Will he make it three-for-three? I like his odds. Though the Stars posted a 2.52 GAA during the regular season, they've allowed eight goals over two playoff games. Two games is a small sample size, but it's also the only action we've seen from the Stars in months. On top of that, Perron managed 27 power-play points across 71 games.
Jake DeBrusk, BOS at WAS ($10): DeBrusk fell just short of 20 goals due to the season being cut short and from going cold down the stretch. He also hasn't registered a point since the end of the hiatus. That being said, Braden Holtby posted a 3.11 GAA and .897 save percentage this season. DeBrusk also gains an advantage skating on the Bruins' top power-play unit.
WINGS TO AVOID
Vladimir Tarasenko, STL vs. DAL ($25): Tarasenko's return was exciting on paper, as he's a guy who's scored over 30 goals in each of the last five seasons. But don't get ahead of yourself. He played 10 games all year before returning for the playoffs. The Russian has only played in one of St. Louis's two games, and played just 14:10 while registering two shots on goal. Tarasenko seems like he is still getting his legs under him, and the Blues are rightfully being careful.
T.J. Oshie, WAS vs. BOS ($20): Oshie scored 26 goals this year, thanks in part to a lofty 19.5 shooting percentage. That puck luck hasn't been on his side in the round-robin games, as he's yet to register a point. Oshie is also a guy often reliant on the power play for his production, as he notched 10 of his goals with the extra man. Once again, allow me to note the Bruins and their third-ranked penalty kill.
DEFENSE
Seth Jones, CLM at TOR ($18): Unlike Tarasenko, Jones looked no worse for the wear returning from injury for the playoffs. He's averaged 30:12 in ice time - including 4:06 with the extra man - and directed six shots on goal. On top of that, he's blocked 15 shots. While Jones only has one point - a goal - the Maple Leafs struggled with a 3.17 GAA and only five teams managed worse marks.
Charlie McAvoy, BOS at WAS ($18): Quietly, McAvoy became more involved for the Bruins on defense this season. The 22-year-old put 101 pucks on net in 67 games while also blocking 131 shots. He has fired six shots on goal while scoring twice during these playoffs. That was against the Lightning and the Flyers. The Capitals represent a decidedly easier matchup.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
John Klingberg, DAL at STL ($18): Klingberg didn't play in Dallas's last game, but is expected back for this matchup. But how good will he look? There's reason for skepticism, especially given how poor the Stars' offense looked this year. In fact, Klingberg only managed six goals in 58 games. The Blues only allowed 29.6 shots on net per contest to go with a 2.66 team GAA.
Morgan Rielly, TOR vs. CLM ($17): Rielly has tallied a goal in this series, but it was into an empty net. He didn't score much this year, as the three markers will show. The Blue Jackets compiled a 2.61 GAA, which was tied for third-best in the league. So even if I am down on Korpisalo, I'm not totally down on Columbus defensively.
