It’s almost impossible to look at the opening playoff series without stopping to look at the fascinating battle between two superstar centers: Florida Alexander Barkov face Edmonton in the series Connor McDavid’s.
The best defensive center in the world meets the best attacking center forward in the world.
Or meet?
– Could the Florida pilot Paul Maurice pulls such a rabbit out of the hat that by Sam Bennett the chain would play against the McDavids, ‘s hockey expert Ismo Lehkonen ponders.
– If Maurice would inform Barkov that you now have a license to attack other chains. Barkovi also has pretty nice docks next to it, Lehkonen laughs.
It is still more likely that Barkov will face McDavid.
This past spring, Barkov has already eclipsed the key players of Tampa, Boston and Rangers almost completely. Rangers’ first line didn’t score a single goal against Tampere in a draw. of Boston David Pastrňák and Brad Marchand made one for the man.
Sunday 9.6. at 03:00 Florida Panthers–Edmonton Oilers
Tuesday 11.6. at 03:00 Florida Panthers–Edmonton Oilers
Friday 14.6. at 03:00 Edmonton Oilers–Florida Panthers
Sunday 16.6. at 03:00 Edmonton Oilers–Florida Panthers
Wednesday 19.6. at 03:00 Florida Panthers–Edmonton Oilers (if necessary)
Saturday 22.6. at 03:00 Edmonton Oilers–Florida Panthers (if necessary)
Tuesday 25.6. at 03:00 Florida Panthers–Edmonton Oilers (if necessary)
You are on Finnish time.
According to Lehkonen, Barkov does not need to do miracles with McDavid. And blacking out a Canadian star is not unprecedented. Especially in the second round, Vancouver managed to get McDavid out of the picture at times.
– It’s also worth watching Barkov’s underpowered playing, it’s a matter of honor for him. Rangers didn’t score many power play goals, so he handles that just fine, Lehkonen laughs.
Cheating on a more general level is also a hot topic under the series, according to Lehkonen.
– It is certain that the pair of defenders Brandon Montour–Niko Mikkola will play a lot against McDavid’s chain. They have played all spring against the big boys and they seem to be one goal down. That’s not bad. Mikkola has become a big credit player for coaching.
– Florida has an advantage here. They have more width and they really trust the quad chain as well. Head coach Paul Maurice can throw any chain on the ice and they understand what’s up there and how to play.
Who surprises?
As the surprise of the series, Lehkonen lifts Florida from the much-talked-about triple chain Eetu Luostarinen. by Anton LundellLuostarinen and Vladimir Tarasenko formed by the trio scored the hit that ended the Rangers series and has otherwise played excellently.
The trio hasn’t conceded a goal in their own goal yet this spring.
– Luostaris hasn’t been terribly talked about, but Maurice already talked last year during the finals about how one of the team’s best glue players was missing due to injury.
– He is a player that Maurice trusts in every situation and he gets the job done, Lehkonen praises.
Who cheats?
According to Lehkonen, if someone disappoints in the starting series, it’s Edmonton’s nerves.
Florida’s aggressive pick-and-roll game will put the Oilers defense under pressure it has never experienced before.
– They won’t be able to withstand Florida’s physical pounding. Then we start to take revenge, poke and seek Canadian-style approval by doing secondary things. There are explosive players like Darnell Nurse, Evander Kane and Corey PerryLehkonen says.
According to Lehkonen, Edmonton should not go into a tough game with Florida.
– Florida really knows how to play that game. It’s a lot like Tampa back in the day. They know how to confuse, play hard and still keep the focus on the essentials. Makes someone smile Matthew Tkachuk adventures there. He does such surprising things that the judges can’t even say goodbye.
– Tkachuk falls in the wrong places without noticing on the goalkeeper’s knee when he falls and suddenly hurts the defender’s cheek. He has made that art. If I were a judge, I would say that you can’t have all sorts of things happening to you all the time, Lehkonen teases.
What on earth?
of the Miami Herald Greg Cote struck on Thursday came the hardest line of the NHL season: in his lead-up to the finals, he attacked Connor McDavid’s greatness with colorful turns of phrase and called him, among other things, overrated.
According to Cote, McDavid cannot be called a generational player because he has not won a Stanley Cup. McOverrated, Cote snapped.
The writing was widely quoted in North America and was viewed in many places – quite rightly – with humor.
– Paul Maurice has tried by all means to avoid setting fire to fire, and then some alligator man from some cave makes a lot of noise, Lehkonen laughs.
– We know that that writing may very well be found in the Oilers booth. McDavid has taken the sport to a new level and is constantly showing others to catch up, do better and train harder. Then someone points out that it is overrated. Jeez, anyway.
Who wins?
The winner of the starting series will not be judged by Lehkonen for a long time.
– This is easy. Florida wins the series 4–1. One game leaves the glove when they calculate that one can be pulled by a hurricane storm.
– Florida is so motivated and has solidly improved its game since last year’s finals that there are no weaknesses in that team, no matter how hard you try, says Lehkonen.
When Lehkonen thinks about the decision points of the series, the previously mentioned depth of the players quickly rises to the surface in terms of both attack and defense.
Despite a great spring, the carrying capacity of Edmonton’s defense is still a question mark, and now there will be constant pressure. Edmonton’s opening game might boil down to splashing through the glass at worst.
– If we look at Florida’s defense, then not there Cale Makaria no, but there are six really tough blacksmiths. It’s still there by Gustav Forsling like a skating monster in the bow. Crying doesn’t help, yes, Florida is the clear favorite in this series.