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Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NHL fantasy picture for Thursday, April 6 (all advanced statistics courtesy of Corsica.Hockey and apply to 5v5 situations):

Dynamic Duos

• C Auston Matthews (69K) and D Jake Gardiner (39K), Maple Leafs (vs. Lightning): It's a night Leafs fans have been waiting for - and you know the players are going to be fired up. A Toronto win vaults the Leafs into the playoffs, and Matthews - who has eight goals in his last 10 games and 39 on the season - will be front and center. Pair him with Gardiner, who has four assists in his last four games.

• C Brandon Dubinsky (45K) and RW Cam Atkinson (65K), Blue Jackets (vs. Jets): Columbus still has plenty to play for as the regular season winds down, sitting three points back of Pittsburgh for second place in the Metropolitan Division. Look for Dubinsky and Atkinson to help shake Columbus out of its offensive doldrums against a Winnipeg team allowing the third-most goals per game in the league.

• C Connor McDavid (73K) and LW Milan Lucic (38K): No team scored more goals in March than the Oilers, who averaged 3.46 per game en route to ending a decade-long postseason drought. On the flip side, the Sharks were one of only 10 teams in the league to allow more than three goals per game for the month. Pair McDavid with Lucic, who joins the NHL's leading scorer on the first power-play unit.

Goalie Breakdown

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

• TARGET - Devan Dubnyk (108K), Wild (at Avalanche): Dubnyk appears to be back on track following a dreadful showing in March, stopping 57 of 62 shots en route to a pair of victories over Colorado and Carolina to open the month. Thursday, he gets another crack at an Avalanche team that has scored two or fewer goals in four of its last six games. Dubnyk is pricey, but you'll be glad you started him.

• BARGAIN - Jaroslav Halak (81K), Islanders (at Hurricanes): With the Islanders' playoff chances hanging by a thread, Halak will need to be at his absolute best in Carolina. The 31-year-old has been terrific of late, limiting opponents to six goals over his last four games while picking up three victories over that stretch. If he can continue his red-hot play, he should provide huge value in Squad Up.

• FADE - Jonathan Bernier (104K), Ducks (vs. Blackhawks): Bernier has fallen on hard times of late, having been tagged for seven goals in road games in Winnipeg and Calgary. And while his 43-save shutout against Chicago back on March 9 stands as his best game of the season, the chances of another 40-save blanking aren't good. These Blackhawks can score, and should do so multiple times on Thursday.

• CONTRARIAN - Joonas Korpisalo (115K), Blue Jackets (vs. Jets): It isn't often that you see a team's backup netminder as one of the most expensive options of the night - but with Sergei Bobrovsky coming off a 4-1 loss to Pittsburgh two nights earlier, Korpisalo gets the call against visiting Winnipeg. He hasn't won since March 18 but looked good last time out, stopping 29 of 31 shots in a loss to Carolina on March 30.

Bargain Plays

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• C Leon Draisaitl (46K), Oilers (at Sharks): Draisaitl is priced at an absolute bargain given that he ranks eighth in league scoring and has five goals and 14 assists during an 11-game point streak. But here's the catch: You can't roster both he and McDavid, since both are listed at center. If you're looking to load up at other positions, you could do a whole lot worse than a guy with 75 points.

• LW Richard Panik (32K), Blackhawks (at Ducks): Panik is far removed from his high-scoring days of earlier this season, but he's still a decent daily fantasy option while skating on Chicago's top line. Panik has seven points over his last 10 games and recorded multiple shots on goal in nine straight games in March. He has just two shots over his past three games, so expect some positive correction there.

• D Jacob Trouba (27K), Jets (at Blue Jackets): This game appears one-sided on paper, but that doesn't mean you should ignore Trouba. He has four assists over his past three games for the Jets, who have scored four or more goals in four straight contests. Trouba might end up on the wrong side of the final score, but he's too gifted an offensive talent to be left unowned at his rock-bottom salary.

Top Fades

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• C Patrice Bergeron (67K), Bruins (vs. Senators): While Bergeron is off to a sizzling start this month with three goals in three games, he and the rest of the Boston offense will take a significant hit Thursday as winger Brad Marchand serves the opener of a two-game suspension levied earlier in the day. Bergeron can still generate offense without Marchand, but it becomes a whole lot tougher.

• RW Phil Kessel (67K), Penguins (at Devils): Perhaps Kessel is just saving himself for the Penguins' Stanley Cup title defense. Or maybe he's gripping his stick too tightly. Whatever the case, the Pittsburgh sniper comes into this one having scored just one goal in his previous 23 games. His salary is far too high for his recent lack of production, and it's hard to see him getting on track in New Jersey.

• LW Daniel Sedin (63K), Canucks (at Coyotes): It doesn't matter who the opponent is - no player averaging barely a half-point per game should have a salary this high. Sedin has just four points over his past 17 games, and has shown no inclination to halt his slide. Considering the collection of left wingers priced lower - including Mike Hoffman, Zach Parise and Jeff Skinner - you can do much better here.

Contrarian Options

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• C William Nylander (56K), Maple Leafs (vs. Lightning): Anytime the Leafs are in action, both Nylander and fellow center Nazem Kadri can be labeled as contrarian plays since most daily fantasy players choose Matthews. But Nylander plays alongside the rookie scoring leader and comes at a significant discount. Look for Nylander to hit the scoresheet as Toronto aims to end its lengthy playoff drought.

• RW David Backes (49K), Bruins (vs. Senators): There might be a bevy of more attractive options ahead of Backes in the Squad Up pecking order, but he's a sneaky value play in a must-win game against Ottawa. Someone has to pick up the slack with Marchand on the sidelines, and Backes comes at a nice discount compared to teammate David Pastrnak (61K). Backes isn't a slam-dunk value play, but he deserves a look.

• D Dion Phaneuf (28K), Senators (at Bruins): The Ottawa blue-line has been beaten and battered, leaving Phaneuf as the lone reliable offensive option on the back end. With Erik Karlsson ruled out with a lower-body injury, Phaneuf will see all the high-leverage situations he can handle. He might be passed over by most in favor of more reliable options, but he should easily return value Thursday.

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It appears unlikely Steven Stamkos will dress in one of the Tampa Bay Lightning's final three games.

Stamkos spoke to reporters in Toronto ahead of his club's do-or-die contest against the Toronto Maple Leafs, where he admitted a return to the lineup is becoming less likely. A loss means the Lightning are eliminated from postseason contention.

Lightning head coach Jon Cooper confirmed Stamkos would miss Thursday's contest, while Tyler Johnson, who's suited up in the last two games, will be a game-time decision.

Stamkos has been out since Nov. 15 with a knee injury and has nine goals and 20 points in 17 games.

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Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand has been suspended two games for spearing Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Jake Dotchin, the league announced Thursday.

The play occurred Tuesday in the Bruins' 4-0 win.

The Bruins have two games remaining this season, against the Ottawa Senators and Washington Capitals. The team has already clinched a playoff berth, meaning Marchand will be eligible to return for Game 1. Boston's playoff opponent is not yet determined.

It's a costly infraction for Marchand, as the two lost games will see him forfeit $109,756.10, according to the NHL.

The suspension marks the second punishment for Marchand this season. He was fined $10,000 in mid-January following a dangerous trip involving Detroit Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall.

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The Montreal Canadiens will get a chance to exact some revenge when they take on the New York Rangers in the first round of the NHL playoffs.

The two will face off in the postseason for the first time since the Rangers ousted the Canadiens in six games in the 2014 Eastern Conference Final.

There's a lot on the line and - like any playoff series - there are sure to be a number of players who will help tip the scales in either direction.

Here are three players who could make a difference in this first-round matchup:

Shea Weber

You may have thought it was all behind us, but no, the P.K. Subban-Weber trade deserves to be brought up once again.

The deal that had many Montreal faithful up in arms looks to have paid off - at least for the time being. The Canadiens clinched a postseason berth after missing out last season, while Weber has also bested Subban with seven more goals and four more points this season, in 14 fewer games.

The reason the trade is worth bringing up again is because, during his time in Montreal, Subban played some really inspired playoff hockey.

Subban has 11 goals and 38 points in 55 career playoff games, and who could forget his incredible display against the Boston Bruins during the team's 2014 run.

Weber won't be forced to match Subban's production, but like the man he was traded for, he will be looked at to be a difference-maker for the Canadiens.

Henrik Lundqvist

Much like Subban, Lundqvist has historically been a gamer who brings his best to the postseason.

The Rangers netminder has a career .921 save percentage and a 2.28 goals-against average over 116 playoff games. Meanwhile, he's been among the most consistent goaltenders since his NHL debut in 2006.

However, recently there have been more question marks surrounding the 35-year-old. Lundqvist had his worst season statistically, with a .910 save percentage and a 2.74 goals-against average, both career lows.

Not to mention Lundqvist was also lit up in the postseason last year by the Pittsburgh Penguins who delivered the King a ghastly 4.39 goals-against average over five games.

The Rangers playoff lives could rest heavily on Lundqvist, which would depend on what version of the King shows up.

Carey Price

Price could be the difference-maker if he does Carey Price-like things.

While Price has had had a couple questionable stints this season, for the most part he's been his usual consistent self and at the moment he's playing some of his best hockey of the year.

The 29-year-old has gone 5-2-0 in his last seven games with a .944 save percentage and a 1.58 goals-against average, allowing more than two goals in a game just once.

For the Canadiens, Price's presence will be huge, especially in the revenge storyline as Canadiens fans probably recall that, in 2014, Price played just 40 minutes in the series against the Rangers before bowing out due to injury, leaving Dustin Tokarski and Peter Budaj to fill the void.

It's hard to say if he could have propelled the team to a series win, but one thing is certain: the Canadiens likely don't stand a chance without Price between the pipes this time.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

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Get ready for another round of Brandon Dubinsky versus Sidney Crosby.

The two centers will collide when the Columbus Blue Jackets and Pittsburgh Penguins meet in the opening round of the playoffs. The Metropolitan Division matchup was set in stone following Wednesday's contests.

The two sides met in the postseason three years ago, just the second time in franchise history the Blue Jackets made the dance after joining the NHL in 2000.

In that hard-fought six-game series, all but one game was decided by a single goal. The Blue Jackets captured a pair of victories in extra time, but the Penguins ultimately advanced.

Both squads have undergone extensive changes since: Just 15 of the 40 players who competed in Game 6 are still with their club. Each side scratched six players that night, and all 12 are out of the picture.

The changes didn't stop on the ice. Mike Sullivan's now behind the Pittsburgh bench, not Dan Bylsma, while John Tortorella has stepped in for Todd Richards as head coach in the Ohio capital. Interestingly enough, Sullivan was an assistant to Tortorella during his short tenure with the Vancouver Canucks.

Here's a look at the 15 players set to renew the budding rivalry this spring:

Forwards

The forward ranks contain the biggest crop of players returning from the 2014 affair, including Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Chris Kunitz for the Penguins. Meanwhile, five frontmen remain with the Blue Jackets: Dubinsky, captain Nick Foligno, Cam Atkinson, Boone Jenner, and Matt Calvert.

Foligno and Calvert potted the two overtime winners for the Blue Jackets in 2014. Calvert's Game 2 goal notched the first playoff win in franchise history. (Columbus made its first playoff appearance in 2009 but was swept by the Detroit Red Wings.)

Malkin was the Penguins' top-scoring forward through the series, registering three goals and four assists, while Dubinsky and the since-traded Ryan Johansen led all Blue Jackets forwards with six points.

Defense

Just five players combined come back on the blue line: Kris Letang and Olli Maatta for Pittsburgh, and Jack Johnson, Ryan Murray, and David Savard for Columbus.

In practical terms, it's a four-person list, as it was announced Wednesday that Letang will miss the next four-to-six months following a neck injury.

Johnson led Columbus rearguards in playoff scoring in 2014, coming away with seven points, while blue-liners Matt Niskanen and Paul Martin, both since departed, picked up eight points apiece for the Penguins. Maatta collected two points in six games.

Goaltenders

Each side returns a goaltender to the series, but things have changed for both of them since 2014.

Columbus' Sergei Bobrovsky is the NHL's top goalie this season, owning an NHL-best .933 save percentage and standing second to only Washington's Braden Holtby in wins. But Bobrovsky wasn't nearly as successful the last time the two sides met in the playoffs. He picked up two wins in six games alongside a .908 save rate and 3.08 goals-against average.

Penguins veteran Marc-Andre Fleury, meanwhile, is on bench duty after losing the top job to youngster Matt Murray. The 22-year-old led the Penguins to the Stanley Cup a year ago. In a pinch, Fleury offers solid support in goal. In six games against Columbus in 2014, Fleury posted a .908 save percentage and 2.81 GAA.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

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The Ottawa Senators will attempt to clinch a playoff spot without the aid of their captain on Thursday night.

Erik Karlsson will be held out of the lineup against the Boston Bruins and is considered day to day with a lower-body injury, head coach Guy Boucher announced, according to TSN 1200's Dean Brown.

Karlsson had played in the team's last two games against the Detroit Red Wings - scoring a goal in each contest - after missing last Thursday's contest against the Minnesota Wild with a foot injury.

The Senators can clinch a playoff spot by claiming at least a point against the Bruins, or if both the New York Islanders and Tampa Bay Lightning lose on Thursday.

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Each week, theScore looks at the teams, players, and other hockey figures trending upward and taking a step back.

The 2016-17 season has been lined with the most exciting rookie class to enter the NHL in a decade, from Toronto's Auston Matthews, to Winnipeg's Patrik Laine, and Columbus' Zach Werenski, among others.

But let's not to forget the freshmen who graced the league a year ago, some who have built on their initial success to others, who haven't been as fruitful in their second seasons:

▲ Connor McDavid

It's one thing to produce as a rookie. It's another to climb the ranks and become the league's most dominant player in only your second season, but that's the case when it comes to the Edmonton Oilers captain.

McDavid sits first in league scoring with 95 points, seven ahead of runner-up Patrick Kane. He also ranks first league-wide in points per game, coming in at 1.20, ahead of Sidney Crosby and Steven Stamkos. The 20-year-old already sits among the NHL's best.

After his first season was cut short due to a collarbone injury, limiting him to just 45 games, McDavid played his 100th career game this season, collecting 108 points by then. That total has reached 143 points in 124 contests. Credit McDavid's performance in returning the Oilers to relevancy, as the club has locked down its first playoff berth since 2006.

▼ Shayne Gostisbehere

The Philadelphia Flyers blue-liner has taken a step back in his second season, not an uncommon occurrence for sophomore skaters, particularly on the back end.

After netting 17 goals and 29 assists a year ago, the Philadelphia defenseman regressed this season, as his production dropped off with 10 fewer tallies, despite playing in 10 more games, with two games remaining on the season. His point production also fell by eight points. On five occasions, Flyers coach Dave Hakstol made Gostisbehere a healthy scratch.

Still, it's key to remember that, despite his second-year struggles, the 23-year-old Gostisbehere remains a big piece of the Flyers' blue line, as he'll continue to grow into a critical role surrounded by the likes of rookie Ivan Provorov and up-and-comers Samuel Morin and Philippe Myers.

▲ Jonathan Marchessault

After toiling with the Tampa Bay Lightning a year ago, when Marchessault put up a respectable 18 points in 45 games, he moved cross-state, landing a deal with the Florida Panthers.

It may have been the best buy of the offseason. Agreeing to a two-year contract worth $750,000 per season, the Panthers got a prime bargain in Marchessault, now a 30-goal scorer. He's tops on the team in goal production, ahead of rising offensive stars like Vincent Trocheck and Aleksander Barkov.

As for the Panthers, the team will sit on the sidelines this postseason, unable to build on last year's playoff appearance. But with a healthy lineup next season, and continued production from Marchessault, the future looks bright in Florida.

▼ Dylan Larkin

After netting 23 goals and 22 assists in 2015-16, the Detroit Red Wings forward declined in both categories this season, totaling 16 and 14, respectively.

The good news is that most of Larkin's lagging production came in the season's first half, while his scoring touch picked up following a shift from the wing to center. Larkin played up the middle prior to turning pro and the Red Wings envision him as a center long term.

The Red Wings won't make the playoffs for the first time in 25 years. But the future is now in Detroit, as the franchise turns the page and begins to lean on its young talent. Larkin, alongside Anthony Mantha and Andreas Athanasiou, are the next wave charged with returning the Red Wings to the winner's circle.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

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Three Canadian teams have already punched their tickets to the postseason, and with some puck luck, two more could follow suit.

Both the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators can clinch playoff berths on Thursday, joining the Montreal Canadiens, Edmonton Oilers, and Calgary Flames.

Here is what needs to happen for each club to earn a postseason place:

Toronto Maple Leafs

The Maple Leafs currently hold the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with 93 points, five up on both the New York Islanders and Tampa Bay Lightning.

Toronto can clinch a spot if it defeats Tampa Bay in regulation or overtime. Alternately, if Toronto loses to the Lightning in a shootout and the Islanders also lose to the Carolina Hurricanes in any fashion, the Maple Leafs will earn a playoff berth.

Ottawa Senators

The Senators sit one point above the Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division, but find themselves in second place behind Montreal. They're tied with the Bruins in points, but have a game in hand over Boston.

In order to earn a spot, the Senators need just a point against the Bruins on Thursday. However, they can also clinch with a regulation loss, as long as both the Lightning and Islanders lose.

It's safe to say there will be a lot of scoreboard watching on Thursday night from Ontario hockey fans.

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