A rare luxury for Aleksander Barkov and his partners before the NHL finals – “We bounced flat-footed in Florida”

The NHL season is a merciless wringer for both body and mind. In the regular season, 82 matches are first played in six months, after which the screw is tightened to the extreme position for another two months because of the Stanley Cup. Over the course of the season and spring, the workload is visible in different teams in different ways.

Dallas, which ended its season with a 0-6 home loss on Tuesday, was an extreme example, especially with its defensive equipment.

The weaknesses of the unbalanced and narrow defense equipment were bluntly revealed as the spring progressed. Miro from Heiska had to play too much at times, because the whole was not able to meet the level of requirements.

– Dallas’ defense was exhausted. There were many in the final stages already on supplemental oxygen, ‘s hockey expert Ismo Lehkonen says.

No extra oxygen was needed in Vegas, even though the conference finals series stretched to six games.

From the point of view of the overall workload, the question is now: what benefit will Florida, who has cleared its own conference finals series in four games, get from its ten-day break for the finals?

Florida’s gambling on top bets

We can talk about some kind of advantage. Florida beat Toronto in five in the second round and Carolina in four straight in the conference finals. The panther pack has progressed to the final stage, if not with a saving flame, then at least with the least energy.

A ten-day break before the finals is an unprecedented luxury. For Vegas, there are three days between the decisive victory and the opening of the finals on Saturday.

– It rained in Florida that Vegas lost two games to Dallas after three wins. In Florida, they were blown away that they are still playing. Florida was able to take a couple of days off from hockey and then they have started to drive the machines to final condition. In such a time, the bruises heal, Lehkonen states.

On the other hand, Vegas has played only one game more than Florida in the playoffs (17-16) and played its group very differently than the final opponent, which equalizes the stress points.

By comparing the playing times, it is easy to see a clear difference in how the final match teams have played in the playoffs. If the limit is set to ten games played, among the 35 most played players there are nine Florida players and only one Vegas player.

Florida has nine players with at least 20 minutes, Vegas has three. Florida has five forwards with more than twenty minutes, Vegas has none. Of the number one attackers Alexander Barkov has played with an average of more than 22 minutes, Jack Eichel more than three minutes less.

– The Vegas Coach Bruce Cassidy clearly trusts the whole package. They have a whole up to the quad chain, where you can put any chain on the ice, JYP coach who won the Stanley Cup with Colorado in his playing career Ville Nieminen open.

– The freshness and consistency with which they play means that Cassidy doesn’t even have to play so much chain against chain. Even now, they must be thinking that there are two options for Barkov’s chain and two options for Sam Bennett’s chain. You don’t need to gamble so aggressively, Lehkonen says.

In Florida, gambling has been a more traditional model.

– Same line Paul Maurice pulled in Winnipeg. The best play. He calculates probabilities with both offensive end and own end kickoffs. We don’t play with winnings in these moments, we put the best in the bag, says Lehkonen.

Defenders hard

When thinking about the load of players, especially Florida’s defense equipment should be watched with a close eye in the starting series. Brandon Montour, Gustav Forsling, Aaron Ekblad mixed Marc Staal play hard minutes and in many places, so to speak, in the upper register of their own level.

Vegas’s defensive equipment is better quality and deeper than the class, and thus played more evenly.

– If Boston was a tough challenge for Florida, then this one is even tougher. Now there are four chains that slavishly follow the gameplay. Defense has been a kind of weakness for Florida in the past, but in the playoffs they have been able to hide certain weaknesses well, Lehkonen sees.

In practice, weaknesses are hidden forward by defending.

– The grappling game is the best defense, it has been enough for now. Now, however, it is only being tested against a team that starts under pressure well and attacks directly with really high quality. That’s what it comes down to, whether Florida can defend Vegas’ direct attack, Nieminen’s line.

Barkov and Lundell in the center

It goes without saying that Florida’s No. 1 center Aleksander Barkov, who played a very strong two-way game, is at the center of everything when it comes to Florida’s winning dreams. The same applies to the Finnish center forward of the triple chain Anton Lundelliawho now receives the toughest challenge of the spring.

– Florida doesn’t have the overall package like Vegas or their experience and patience, but they have special players. They answer With Sergei BobrovskyBarkovilla and With Matthew Tkachuk. Sam Reinhart and Barkov are the best exploitation players of the spring. Carte Verhaeghe is a platform elite for that series, he can make a difference with his skating, Nieminen praises.

– Certainly in Florida, the emphasis is now on the fact that Lundell must be able to play positive hockey in the battle of three-point chains. The challenge is extremely tough, Lehkonen continues.

The starting points are ticklishly flat, but it is unlikely that Florida will get any advantage from the strain.

– Vegas is like an annoyingly disciplined motorcycle gang. They can’t be caught for anything and can’t be fined, but when the eye averts, they have dogs in mind. This is Vegas 2.0 compared to the 2018 Finals team. Deeper, heavier, smoother, more disciplined and more is leadership. A dangerous team, Lehkonen packs.

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