The NHL schedule makers don't care that you might have had no one to roster on Friday, but on Saturday you'll have a surplus of players that you'll need to make start/sit decisions on. If you were looking to get your hockey fix on Friday, only one game was on the schedule, and it was a late game between the Kings and Canucks in Vancouver.

You were able to take a rest from your doubts about Thatcher Demko, at least for one game. Demko made 37 saves in a 4-1 Canucks win, which was just his second win of the season. Demko had posted just one quality start prior to Friday, and this was actually his first game (in 12 GP) where he has allowed fewer than three goals. In fact, it's gotten to the point where Demko and Spencer Martin have alternated starts over the Canucks' last 10 games. I'm not at the "drop Demko" point yet, and Friday's start certainly showed shades of Demko from last season in a game where the Canucks were outshot. You may want to keep him on your bench for the short term, though, as the Canucks have some tough matchups ahead against Vegas (x2) and Colorado next week.

The Brock Boeser goal watch is over. In his 12^th game of the season, Boeser scored his first two goals of the season, one of which was on the power play. Although Boeser didn't score a goal in his first 11 games, he has a very Barzal-like nine assists over those 11 games. Boeser had also missed time earlier this season due to a hand injury, which has probably also set him back. He was back on the first-unit power play for the Nucks, but he was down on the third line along with Nils Hoglander and Sheldon Dries. Boeser now has 12 goals in 13 lifetime games against LA, so maybe the favorable matchup helped.

Elias Pettersson also scored two goals, giving him multiple points in back-to-back games. Petey is the least of the Canucks' worries right now with 22 points in 18 games, including 13 points in his last nine games. As I've said before, this is the season where we could really see him take off.

Not long after his first career hat trick, Andrei Kuzmenko entered this game with no points in his last five games and had even been a surprise healthy scratch for a game last weekend as the Canucks were trying to find answers for another season going off-course early on. However, Kuzmenko snapped his slump, assisting on both of Pettersson's goals.

Erik Karlsson is the only defenseman with more assists than Quinn Hughes (16 A). Hughes chipped in two more assists on Friday, but he still does not have a goal this season. Mathew Barzal is the only player with more assists and no goals.

Curtis Lazar returned to the Canucks' lineup on Friday and dished seven hits. Teammate Luke Schenn had five hits and currently leads the NHL with 81. Believe it or not, Schenn is rostered in half of Yahoo leagues, undoubtedly mainly leagues that count hits. But he's also been a surprise source of scoring with seven points in 18 games. Schenn's been in the league long enough for you to know that he's only good for bangers categories. If Schenn is unavailable in your league, then Lazar might be a player to consider for hits, and he'll provide faceoffs as well. Just not much scoring from either.

If you're looking for hot Kings, well, there aren't many after this game. All the names that you'd expect to score were held off the scoresheet. On the Frozen Tools hot list, I could only find Alex Edler, who has three helpers in his last four games. This after just one point (an assist) in his first 13 games.

A couple of Kings are on the cold list, though. Anze Kopitar has one point (a goal) in his last five games and just three goals in 20 games all season. After a scorching hot start (10 G in his first 15 GP), Gabriel Vilardi has cooled off considerably with no points over his last five games. Vilardi is still sticking around on that Kopitar line, so the pucks might start to go in for him again. However, you might have missed your window to sell high in a non-keeper league, as he will be hard-pressed to have another run like he had earlier this season.

–

Eric Comrie, who has grabbed the starting goalie job for the Sabres, is expected to be sidelined for several weeks. That leaves Craig Anderson and recently recalled Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to guard the crease for Buffalo. The Sabres have fallen back to earth and lost seven consecutive games after roaring out of the gate, so tread carefully on this one. Anderson's early-season success (3 W in his first 3 GP) is likely related to being able to rest for multiple games between starts, which matters if you're 41 years old and still playing professional hockey. For that reason, Anderson could struggle under a heavier workload. Watch for UPL to receive more than a spot start while he is up with the big club.

–

Something to keep your eye on when setting your lineup tomorrow: Auston Matthews left Friday's practice early after blocking a shot. After practice, Sheldon Keefe stated that Matthews is fine. Of course, we won't know for sure until an announcement is made one way or the other… or until the pregame skate at the latest.

–

After a ridiculously slow start (3 G and 0 A in first 9 GP), Jordan Kyrou is starting to heat up with four points in his last three games. He's one of those players listed in the recent Top 10 article on buy-low players. He's also not the only player from the Blues in this article.

–

Calen Addison has just one point in his last 10 games. In spite of the lack of production, he's still receiving first-unit power-play minutes. It's difficult to recommend dropping someone who is receiving first-unit power-play minutes, and I haven't done that in the one league that I roster Addison. Yet he hasn't scored a goal this season and doesn't deliver much in the way of peripherals (at least for a defenseman). Six of his eight points this season have been with the man advantage, which could justify your patience.

–

The Kris Letang goal watch ended on Thursday, with Letang scoring his first goal of the season in his 16^th game. Somebody providing me feedback on the Top 100 Roto Rankings suggested that Letang's shot rate is down, which could affect his value. There is something to that, as Letang is taking just above two shots per game when he would average over three several seasons ago. Now that he's 35 years of age, Letang might be facing some age-related decline. Yet it might be premature to suggest that's the reason, as his advanced stats (2.9 SH%, 1.4 PTS/60, 974 PDO) suggest a hint of bad luck. As well, the Penguins trio hasn't shown many other signs of slowing down (did you see that Sidney Crosby had four points on Thursday?)

–

Follow me on Twitter @Ian_Gooding for more fantasy hockey.