Thursday's NHL slate was a bit of a ride, wasn't it? Sixteen teams across the continent combining for an average of 6.9 goals per game, even including one rather conservative 2-1 win by the Hurricanes over the Red Wings. Fun stuff. With another 24 contests scheduled Friday through Sunday, we're undoubtedly in for another slew of scoring that could make or break your fantasy week. No question, making the proper lineup decisions - especially Saturday - could easily mean the difference between victory and defeat in head-to-head competition.
We're also in for a parade of appearances from backup goaltenders. While every team plays at least once over the long weekend, 16 clubs compete twice, 11 of them in back-to-back sets. More on which No. 2 goalies to stream, and why, below.
Other matchup highlights from the three day schedule -- featuring six games Friday, 13 on Saturday, and five Sunday - include New Jersey visiting Columbus Saturday before hosting the Ducks Sunday. Play all of your favorite fantasy Devils, including goalie Vitek Vanecek, who's coming off two impressive wins this week.
The Coyotes could make a fair bit of scoring noise when hosting San Jose Friday and Buffalo on Saturday. While the Sharks are performing better, they're still allowing a good number of goals most games (3.83/contest in December). I also like the Stars' top performers to put up good fantasy numbers against the Senators Friday before visiting the Blues Saturday.
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Stock Up
Ivan Barbashev, F, Vegas Golden Knights: I'm back on the Barbashev fantasy bus after taking a brief pit stop earlier this season. Playing on a top line with Jack Eichel and Mark Stone - there are worse positions to hold - the winger has a pair of goals and five assists in seven games. He's also good for the odd hit and blocked shot. Also, note that teammate Chandler Stephenson is on a heater with three goals and three assists in four games, including three points on the power play. That snaps a fairly nasty cold spell for the former 65-point player. Both Barbashev and Stephenson are amply available in ESPN.com leagues. The Knights play the Sabres on Friday and Senators Sunday.
Morgan Geekie, F, Boston Bruins: With Pavel Zacha out with an upper-body injury, the 25-year-old is centering the Bruins' top line alongside wingers David Pastrnak and Jake DeBrusk. From that position, he provided the primary assist on Pastrnak's second of the game against the Coyotes last Saturday, and scored himself in New Jersey on Wednesday. However temporarily, Geekie will never be more valuable as a fantasy asset than right now.
Yegor Chinakhov, F, Columbus Blue Jackets: This is more of what the Blue Jackets were hoping for from their 21st overall draft pick (2020). Enjoying a good number of minutes on a young scoring line with rookie center Dmitri Voronko and Kirill Marchenko, Chinakhov has four goals and two assists in three games.
Yegor Sharangovich, F, Calgary Flames: Flames fans can't blame the top-line winger, along with second-line center Nazem Kadri, for their team's recent string of defeats. Sharangovich has five goals and one assist in four games - all of them losses.
Stock Down
Chris Kreider, F, New York Rangers: The Rangers forward is too skilled and talented to remain unproductive for long. However, if he doesn't snap out of his current funk against the visiting Ducks Friday or next day versus the Bruins - a team against which the Massachusetts native and Boston College Alumnus scored two goals and an assist end of November - then I'm benching him for another warm fantasy body until he does.
Joonas Korpisalo, G, Ottawa Senators One win in nearly a month isn't going to cut it. The Senators visit Dallas Friday before traveling to Vegas on Sunday. Oh dear.
Streamer Specials
Ivan Prosvetov, G, Colorado Avalanche: Prosvetov was perfect in relief of Alexandar Georgiev against the Flames earlier this week before allowing just the one on 30 shots in Wednesday's 5-1 win over the Sabres. The Avalanche visit Winnipeg Saturday before hosting the Sharks Sunday. I would stream Colorado's No. 2 in either.
Devon Levi, G, Buffalo Sabres: Against the Coyotes on Saturday? Sure, why not? The rookie goaltender is enjoying one heckuva week. But perhaps leave Levi on your bench in Vegas Friday night, if that's how coach Don Granato decides to shuffles his starting netminders about. The Knights are dominating again.
Semyon Varlamov, G, New York Islanders: As the Islanders' backup managed well enough against the Ducks earlier this week, may as well give him another streaming whirl in Montreal Saturday (after Ilya Sorokin faces the Bruins on Friday). The sizzling Isles have only lost one of their past seven, and even that tilt with the Sharks endured into overtime. Also know that veteran Kyle Palmieri is on one of his tears, with three goals and a helper in four games.
Casey DeSmith, G, Vancouver Canucks: If Rick Tocchet runs with Thatcher Demko - coming off Thursday's shutout of the Panthers - Saturday in Minnesota, DeSmith would appear in line for Sunday's tilt in Chicago. The Blackhawks have scored eight goals in their past five contests. I also appreciate DeSmith as a streamer if he's instead tossed out there versus Kaprizov and Co., following last week's 26-save blanking of the Wild.