Daily Fantasy Hockey 2015: NHL DraftKings Strategy for April 18

The 2015 NHL playoffs have already offered more than most viewers could have hoped for, but the action is just beginning as it carries over into Saturday.

Saturday's four-game slate of Game 2s continues as the eight teams get ready to head to the road arena, but not before some serious action that includes mismatches worth exploiting. Here's a glance into DraftKings for Saturday.

Pos.	No. 1	No. 2	No. 3
C	Steven Stamkos ($9,000)	Sidney Crosby ($8,800)	Ryan Getzlaf ($8,500)
W	Rick Nash ($8,800)	Corey Perry ($8,700)	Zach Parise ($8,300)
D	Dustin Byfuglien ($7,000)	Kris Letang ($6,400)	Kevin Shattenkirk ($6,300)
G	Henrik Lundqvist ($9,200)	Marc-Andre Fleury ($8,900)	Ben Bishop ($8,700)

C Derek Stepan, New York Rangers (OPRK 17th, FPPG 3.3): $5,500

Paul Sancya/Associated Press

Although the Rangers scored just twice in Game 1 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, their affinity for offensive chances gave the feel that it was much more. Banking on New York to net some more of those chances against goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, Stepan should find his way on the receiving end.

Pittsburgh is a porous 17th against opposing centers, and Stepan has already had two-goal and two-assist performances against the Penguins this season.

W Andrew Ladd, Winnipeg Jets (OPRK 21st, FPPG 3.4): $5,300

Chris Carlson/Associated Press

The Winnipeg Jets may have lost Game 1 in Anaheim, but they showed their grit by leading most of the contest, and that will carry into Game 2. Desperately needing something from Saturday's game to build confidence before heading back home, captain Andrew Ladd should help lead the charge.

Although Ladd has no goals in his last 10 games, he's scored twice in four meetings against the Ducks this season and seems to have their number. You don't often find playoff teams ranked as poorly against opposing fantasy wingers as the Ducks' 21st ranking.

D Sami Vatanen, Anaheim Ducks (OPRK 14th, FPPG 3.2): $5,000

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

The Ducks needed an explosion from defenseman Sami Vatanen in order to save Game 1, and that's just what they got—he notched a goal and two assists in Anaheim's playoff debut. As such an integral part of the attack and maintaining a deadly shot that seems to find its way through most of the time, Vatanen is in for more production in Game 2.

G Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers (OPRK 23rd, FPPG 5.3): $9,200

Frank Franklin II/Associated Press

GP	W	L	OTL	GAA
47	31	13	3	2.23

He may be the most expensive option, but there's no better way to spend your money than on the star goaltender. As the Rangers have failed to skip a beat in the wake of Henrik Lundqvist's return, he continues to show why he's regarded as one of the game's greatest netminders.

Lundqvist started the postseason in style with 24 saves on 25 shots in Game 1, and New York's suffocating defense and fast-paced style of play appeared to be the kryptonite for Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh attack.

Advanced stats courtesy of Hockey-Reference.com and DraftKings.

Steven Cook covers daily fantasy sports for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter.

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