This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
The Hurricanes have their backs against the wall. If they lose Thursday, they are out of the playoffs, swept as quickly as they swept the Islanders in the second round. Can Carolina stave off elimination? More importantly, what should you do with your daily fantasy lineup? It's Showdown rules, which means six players for your lineup and at least one from each team. Here's one potential lineup...
Brad Marchand, BOS ($11,300)
Marchand has been having a great postseason, notching 16 points in 16 games. We shouldn't be surprised, though, because the 31-year-old had 100 points during the regular season. Even when he hasn't scored, Marchand has contributed as well, as he's put 54 shots on net in the playoffs.
David Krejci, BOS ($10,000)
Krejci has a point in every game of this season, which gives him a five-game point streak. He also has a point in 12 of his last 14 outings. Even though the Hurricanes have swapped in Curtis McElhinney for Petr Mrazek, with only two teams playing you want the hot scorers regardless of the matchup.
Jake DeBrusk, BOS ($9,200)
DeBrusk may have not had a point in Game 3, but that ended a four-game point streak. He also started 64.7 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone this year, most among Boston forwards. While McElhinney has played well in the playoffs, he had a .912 save percentage this year, if you want a slightly larger sample size.
Curtis McElhinney, CAR ($7,400)
That being said, I still like McElhinney for a roster. He's much cheaper than Tuukka Rask ($9,900), and he has played well in Petr Mrazek's stead. He has a 1.70 GAA and .943 save percentage in the postseason. The Hurricanes are at home, and they have to win to stay alive, and both of those factor into my selection of McElhinney.
Justin Williams, CAR ($7,000)
Williams is known as "Mr. Game 7" by some, so he knows how to play with his back against the wall. The veteran winger has notched seven points and 36 shots on net in his last 13 games. He's also averaged 3:09 on the power play in those contests, and the Bruins had the 16th-ranked penalty kill this year.
Danton Heinen, BOS ($4,800)
Heinen is a cheap player with a little upside, which is what I like about him. A player like the 23-year-old is necessary to save space for some of the big-money options. He's on Boston's third line with Charlie Coyle and Marcus Johansson, who have both been hot. That helped Heinen notch two points in Game 2 of this series. If he can do that again, he'll be a major steal.
