Daily Fantasy Hockey 2015: NHL DraftKings Strategy for Date May 3

It's a heavy day in the conference semifinal round as the Anaheim Ducks, Chicago Blackhawks and Tampa Bay Lightning all try to take 2-0 leads in their respective Stanley Cup playoff matchups.

Of those three teams, the Anaheim Ducks would appear to have the best chances of doing so, since they rolled to an easy 6-1 victory in Game 1 over the upstart Calgary Flames. The Blackhawks were victorious by one goal over the Minnesota Wild and the Lightning needed overtime to get past the higher-seeded Montreal Canadiens in their series opener.

We have an excellent opportunity to make some significant cash with our DraftKings lineup for today's games. As always, we stick to our $50,000 budget as we plan to inflict some pain on our opponents.

Pos.	Player	Opposition	FPPG	Salary
C	Tyler Johnson	Montreal	3.8	$7,300
C	Mikael Granlund	Chicago	2.3	$3,900
W	Zach Parise	Chicago	4.1	$8,700
W	Brandon Saad	Minnesota	2.9	$4,600
W	Brendan Gallagher	Tampa Bay	3.3	$5,400
D	Brent Seabrook	Minnesota	2.9	$5,000
D	Jason Garrison	Montreal	2.3	$3,800
G	Devan Dubnyk	Chicago	5.2	$8,300
U	Matt Stajan	Anaheim	1.3	2,900

Centers: Tyler Johnson, Tampa Bay Lightning, ($7,300) and Mikael Granlund, Minnesota Wild ($3,900)

There is no player in the Stanley Cup playoffs more dangerous than Tyler Johnson right now. Johnson basically carried the Lightning to its seven-game triumph over the Detroit Red Wings in the opening round, and he scored the opening goal of the game against the Canadiens on Friday.

Johnson scored 36 goals and 44 assists this season, and he has nine goals and two assists in his last 10 games. He is a courageous skater who goes into the dirty areas and makes big plays. He's hot, and there's no reason to think it stops here.

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

Mikael Granlund was all over the ice in Game 1 against the Chicago Blackhawks. Though the Wild lost that game after rallying from a 3-0 deficit to tie, Granlund looked like one of the most dangerous players on the ice.

He is normally a pass-first center who wants to set up his teammates, but he has been firing the puck with regularity. He scored the tying goal against Chicago on Friday night, and he has three goals and six assists in his last 10 games.

Wingers: Zach Parise, Minnesota Wild ($8,700), Brandon Saad, Chicago Blackhawks ($4,600) and Brendan Gallagher, Montreal Canadiens ($5,400)

Zach Parise is one of the game's best clutch players, and that's why the Minnesota Wild signed him in 2012. They need him to be a leader against a team as powerful as the Blackhawks, and he scored a goal and grabbed an assist in Game 1.

Parise is coming off a season in which he notched 37 goals and 34 assists, and he is sharp right now with five goals and six assists in his last 10 games. Don't be surprised if he has a huge night against the Blackhawks.

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

Brandon Saad is one of the best bargains on the board at a cost of $4,600. However, it's his speed and skill that make him dangerous, and he scored the opening goal of the game against the Wild on Friday night and had the puck in dangerous situations throughout. Saad is a brilliant skater who can run over tough defensive players and create opportunities for himself and his teammates.

Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press

Brendan Gallagher looks like he should be playing high-school hockey because he is small and has a baby face. Don't let that fool you, however, because he is one of the players who will stand up for the Montreal Canadiens.

Gallagher will take the hit and make the play. He's also a very talented player with a wicked wrist shot. He scored 25 goals and 24 assists during the regular season and has a chance to make life difficult for the Tampa Bay Lightning defense and goalie Ben Bishop.

Defensemen: Brent Seabrook, Chicago Blackhawks ($5,000) and Jason Garrison, Tampa Bay Lightning ($3,800)

Brent Seabrook's career has been highlighted by huge goals in the postseason, and he is one of the players to whom head coach Joel Quenneville looks in the most crucial moments. He is a more than adequate defensive player, but it his lightning-like shot that often makes the difference.

Seabrook scored 10 goals and 25 assists this season, and he has two goals and two assists in his last 10 games. He could be a big difference-maker in Game 2 against Minnesota.

Mike Carlson/Associated Press

Jason Garrison does not come with a high price tag. That's one of the reasons he's on this team, since we spent much of our cap on Johnson and Parise. However, Garrison has a big shot from the point and is capable of having an impact on the power play. Garrison scored a goal and had 10 assists when the Lightning had the man advantage this season.

Goalie: Devan Dubnyk, Minnesota Wild ($8,300)

Ann Heisenfelt/Associated Press

The Wild have shown they can bounce back from a loss in the playoffs, and that's why we have decided to go with Devan Dubnyk. While he was the architect of the Wild's memorable run to the playoffs this year, there's a slight feeling that midnight is approaching for Cinderella after Dubnyk gave up four goals to the Blackhawks in Game 1.

However, in two regular-season games against Chicago, he gave up just one goal, so we are going to stick with him here. Dubnyk had a 2.13 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage this season, and we think he'll bounce back with a top effort against the Blackhawks.

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