FanNation fantasy game player picks for Monday, Dec. 1
If you haven't tried our daily Hockey Throwdown fantasy game, check it out. The link in the tile will take you to the game page where you can set up a head-to-head challenge with a friend, an enemy, the cable guy, the vicar, me ... basically anyone. Pick three players on three different NHL teams who you think will surpass their projected totals in such categories as wins, saves and goals-against average for goalies; and goals, assists, plus-minus, PIM and shots on goal for forwards and defensemen. Your team earns points based on live game stats. Highest score wins. You can play for free or wager anywhere from $1 to $500.
Each day, I offer up my three picks for that night's action. To help you prepare, here are the players that I think are primed to have a big night:
Goalie: Ben Bishop, Lightning (at Rangers, 7 p.m. EST; NHLN-US, TVA, SNO, SNP, SUN, MSG)
Bishop is playing as well as any keeper lately, going 5-1 in his last six starts, allowing a single goal in three of those contests. He coughed up three on just 19 shots, though, in a win over the Rangers last week, so look for him to use that as motivation in this one. And with No. 1 defenseman Victor Hedman making his return to action, Bishop's line of 0.5 W, 2.1 GA, 24.8 SV, 0.1 SO looks beatable.
Eye Test: Maverick P.K. Subban vs. The System and The Man
Defenseman: P.K. Subban, Canadiens (at Avalanche, 9 p.m. EST; RDS, SNE, ALT)
All right, so the guy is cold as ice right now, with just two assists and 10 shots to show for his past six games. But we all know what Subban can do. We also know that he'll get plenty of ice time in all situations. And we know that he'll be taking aim at a rookie goalie: Colorado's Calvin Pickard. Subban's line (0.1 G, 0.3 A, 0.9 PIM, 2.3 SOG, 0.2 PPP) isn't very demanding and the Habs should be highly motivated tonight after dropping a pair over the weekend to the Sabres. Feels like a good night for slumpbusting.
Forward: Loui Eriksson, Bruins (at Ducks, 10 p.m. EST; SN1, NESN, FS-W)
After spending most of his career in the old Pacific Division with the Dallas Stars, Eriksson has piled up more career points (15-16-31) against the Ducks than any other NHL team. He'll get a chance to build on those numbers tonight while playing first line minutes alongside Carl Soderberg and Milan Lucic. Eriksson has an assist in each of his past two games and is coming off a four-shot effort in a 2-1 win over the Jets, making him a good bet to go over a line that's not asking him to do too much (0.2 G, 0.4 A, 0.2 PIM, 2.1 SOG, 0.1 PPP).
Other games tonight:Panthers at Blue Jackets (7 p.m. EST; FS-F, FS-O); Coyotes at Oilers (9:30 p.m. EST; FS-A, SNW)