Yahoo Plays and Strategy for Monday, November 20

GOALIE

Thatcher Demko, VAN vs. SAN ($42): Demko has slipped a bit recently, but if there was ever a matchup to right this ship, it’s this one. The Sharks have averaged a mere 1.53 goals and 24.6 shots on net per contest, both lowest in the NHL. If Demko is in net, I’d be truly surprised if he doesn’t pick up a win.

GOALIE TO AVOID

Juuse Saros, NAS vs. COL ($24): Saros has a career .918 save percentage, but he’s struggling this year. In fact, he has an .892 save percentage. Unlike the Sharks, his is not a matchup for rounding into form. Colorado has put up 3.81 goals and 34.3 shots on net per game.

CENTER

Pavel Zacha, BOS at TAM ($19): Zacha is getting to skate between David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand now, and it’s working really well for him. He’s tallied a point in 10 of his last 11 games. Jonas Johansson is still the top goalie for the Lightning, for now, and he has a 3.36 GAA and .895 save percentage.

CENTER TO AVOID

Roope Hintz, DAL vs. NYR ($28): Hintz looks primed for another 70-point campaign, but it will be hard for him to add to that in this matchup. Igor Shesterkin is back, and while he has a .913 save percentage, he has a 2.36 GAA because the Rangers have only given up 27.8 shots on net per contest. That’s a big reason why they rank second in team GAA.

WING

Brock Boeser, VAN vs. SAN ($24): Boeser doesn’t have as many points as a few of his teammates, but he’s been racking up the goals. He’s potted 13 of them, with six coming on the power play. The Sharks have a 4.24 GAA and have allowed 38.4 shots on net per contest, both last in the NHL.

Gustav Nyquist, NAS vs. COL ($16): Nyquist has a four-game point streak. Also, he still has a 3.3 shooting percentage, so his goal scoring should improve. Alexandar Georgiev started the year well, but he’s struggled for a bit. He has a 3.87 GAA and .858 save percentage over his last 10 outings.

WINGS TO AVOID

Steven Stamkos, TAM vs. BOS ($27): Stamkos has five goals and 11 assists in 15 games, though two of those goals came in Tampa’s season opener. Of course, now he has to face the Bruins, who have a 2.00 GAA. That is lowest in the NHL.

Clayton Keller, ARI vs. LOS ($23): This year, facing the Kings is not conducive to scoring. Cam Talbot has a 2.11 GAA and .927 save percentage, and the team has only allowed 27.9 shots on net per game. Los Angeles has a top-five penalty kill as well, and 10 of Keller’s 17 points have come with the extra man.

DEFENSE

Devon Toews, COL at NAS ($19): Toews has six points in his last five games. While he hasn’t produced a ton on the power play, he has averaged 2:09 per contest with the extra man. I note that because the Predators have a bottom-five penalty kill.

Aaron Ekblad, FLA vs. EDM ($17): Ekblad returned in Florida’s last game. He played 20:05 – 3:43 with the extra man – and he put four shots on net. While Ekblad didn’t register a point, maybe he will against the Oilers, who have a 3.81 GAA.

DEFENSE TO AVOID

Miro Heiskanen, DAL vs. NYR ($21): Heiskanen has 10 assists, but only one goal. However, six of those points have come on the power play. The Rangers have a top-10 penalty kill, and Shesterkin’s play should improve, given his career .923 save percentage.

Mikhail Sergachev, TAM vs. BOS ($20): Sergachev has five points over his last two games, but that was against Chicago and Edmonton. Boston is a much tougher matchup. It has a 2.00 GAA, as I noted, and unsurprisingly the first-ranked penalty kill.