Aleksander Barkov with his goal and Niko Mikkola and Anton Lundell with their passes were responsible for Florida’s Finnish power.
Florida’s Finns were effective against Columbus, when the Floridians won the match after extra time with goals 5–4. Florida led the match after the lightning start of the first period already 3–0, but Columbus got into the match, which eventually went to overtime.
The Finns were responsible for the match Alexander Barkov with his goal as well Niko Mikkola and Anton Lundell with their passes. Lundell’s pass was part of the match’s decisive hit, where the Finnish forward shot the puck towards the Columbus goalkeeper Spencer Martinand Carter Verhaeghe put the loose puck in.
Columbus replaced Verhaege for the goal already in the first period of the match, when Elvis Merzlikins had conceded three goals in just six minutes.
However, Florida lost its three-goal lead, and Columbus took a 4–3 lead early in the third period by Alexandre Texier on the finish line. In the last minute of regular time of the match, the hosts Nick Cousins however, managed to tie the game and overtime was ahead, which Verhaeghe decided for Florida with his goal.
In the press conference after the game, the commander of the Florida team Paul Maurice said that the melting of the three-goal lead was due to the home team’s weak movement on the ice and the away team’s sacrificial blocks in front of the bets in the first period of the match. According to the coach, the team seemed to be content with a 3–0 lead, which was the fate of Florida captained by Barkov.
The other Finnish players in the NHL round had scored two goals for Dallas against Boston Miro Heiskanen and provided one goal assist Esa Lindell.
Florida–Columbus 5–4 (AND)
FLA: Barkov 1+0, Mikkola 0+1, Lundell 0+1
Toronto–Tamba Bay 6–5 (AND)
Dallas-Boston 2-3
DAL: Heiskanen 0+2, Lindell 0+1
Vancouver-Edmonton 6-2