This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Saturday hosts some afternoon games, but the primary focus of this article will be the 11 matchups starting at 6:30 p.m. ET or later. Eight of the teams on this slate will be in the midst of back-to-back contests, so make sure to double-check the starting goaltender. Read on for tips and tricks to help you stake your claim in DFS glory.
GOALIE
Jacob Markstrom, VAN at SAN ($28): Markstrom has been stellar lately, registering a .942 save percentage and 1.98 GAA while mixing a shutout into his last six starts. The Canucks' surge of offensive support affords Markstrom a solid opportunity to notch a win, especially against the Sharks, who have dropped their last six outings and tallied just 10 goals in that span.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Carter Hart, PHI at MIN ($31): Hart's game has tapered off a bit over his last two starts, allowing three goals in each contest. The 21-year-old is the bread and butter of this team, but matching up against the Wild isn't as favorable as it was to start the year. Minnesota has averaged four goals per game over its last eight -- the second-highest rate in the league.
CENTER
Brayden Schenn, STL vs. CHI ($20): Schenn has answered the call of the St. Louis versus Chicago rivalry since being traded to the Blues before the 2017-18 season, recording four goals and six assists over nine games. The 28-year-old leads the team with 14 goals so far, including six with the man advantage. The Blackhawks' crease has been vulnerable lately in large part to their abysmal penalty kill, which has yielded 8.33 GA/60 over the last nine games, ranking 24th.
CENTER TO AVOID
Anze Kopitar, LA at PIT ($20): Kopitar finished pointless in seven of the last eight games, and he doesn't provide much of a floor with 10 shots and six blocked shots that stretch. Considering the recent dominance of Tristan Jarry in the blue paint, Kopitar's ceiling takes a hit.
WING
Bryan Rust, PIT vs. LA ($23): Rust is one of many Penguins who has missed multiple games, but he still ranks second in goals (10) and fourth in points (19). The 27-year-old winger continues to work alongside Evgeni Malkin as well as on the power play, which will come in handy against the Kings' 30th-ranked penalty kill (73.3 percent).
Alex Killorn, TB vs. WAS ($18): The veteran winger is motoring at the best pace of his career, and he's been excellent lately with four goals and as many assists over his last six outings. Killorn continues to work in a top-six role, and Washington has only been mediocre in net lately with 2.73 GA/60 at even strength over the last eight games.
WINGS TO AVOID
Kyle Palmieri, NJ at ARI ($18): Palmieri has notched almost half of his points on the power play this year, but Arizona has a tough home penalty kill (85.0 percent). They're even tougher at five-on-five, as the Coyotes have posted 1.85 GA/60 at even strength over the last month -- the best rate in the league over that stretch.
Brett Connolly, FLA vs. BOS ($17): Connolly surprisingly leads the Panthers with 14 goals, but it's going to be tough to sustain a mind-boggling 24.6 percent shooting, which is 9.2 percent higher than last year's rate. Going up against Boston won't make things easier, as the Bruins' goaltending tandem has a 2.42 GAA this season (fourth).
DEFENSE
Shea Weber, MON vs. DET ($24): Weber has been excellent this season, and that extends to the last 10 games, during which he has posted four goals, nine points, 33 shots on net and a plus-5 rating. That already strong floor is coupled with an appealing ceiling, since the Red Wings have allowed a league-worst 3.94 goals per game this year.
Carson Soucy, MIN vs. PHI ($14): Soucy is enjoying an increase in minutes with Jared Spurgeon (hand) on IR. He's leveraged that into two goals and three assists over the last five games while tacking on a plus-10 rating, making Soucy a strong value addition against Hart and the Flyers.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Oscar Klefbom, EDM vs. TOR ($20): Klefbom's offensive game has taken a hit lately, and he's gone pointless in six of his last eight contests. He normally carries a solid floor by shooting enough while blocking shots, but the 26-year-old blueliner has gone minus-13 in that stretch, landing him with negative fantasy points three times.
Mathew Dumba, MIN vs. PHI ($18): Dumba is on a 12-game pointless streak, and his massive power-play minutes will lose some of their luster in this contest, as the Flyers have the fourth-best penalty kill (85.1 percent). He's struggled against the Flyers in his career, too, with just two points and a minus-3 rating over seven career games.
