In the ice hockey NHL, the Colorado Avalanche beat the Dallas Stars 5–2 in a meeting between the top teams of the Western Conference. A lot is expected from both teams in the spring playoffs.
Colorado’s power player is the team’s Finnish star forward Mikko Rantanen, who scored one goal and assisted three in the match. Selected as the second star of the match, Rantanen succeeded in scoring in the last minute of the match, when he shot the puck accurately into the goal from his own area. Rantanen was the top scorer in three goals. Nathan MacKinnon (2+0) was chosen as the number one star of the match.
Rantase now has 49+43 performances from this season. Rantanen’s next goal will be the 50th of the season for TPS. Only two Finnish players have managed to cross the same threshold, Jari Kurri and Teemu Selänne. Kurri scored 50 goals four times in his career and Selänne three times.
of Colorado Artturi Lehkonen was still sidelined by a cut finger.
Of the Finnish five in Dallas, only scored points Miro Heiskanen, who assisted his team’s second goal. Heiskasen now has 11+55 performances this season.
The win moved the Avalanche to within a point of the top spot in the central division.
See the NHL tables via this link (Teksti-TV).
Aleksander Barkov set the pace for an important victory
The Florida Panthers took an important 7-0 away win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Florida is fighting for the last playoff spots in the Eastern Conference, so the win was important.
In addition, the team received important news even before the start of their own match, when their worst rival, the Pittsburgh Penguins, lost to the Boston Bruins. Florida’s other main opponent, the New York Islanders, also lost their own match to the Tampa Bay Lightning 0–5.
The Panthers are now tied for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, but one point behind Pittsburgh has one game to play.
Florida’s Finnish captain Alexander Barkov was in tune and assisted his team’s first two goals. In addition, Barkov assisted in Florida’s 6–0 goal. Barkov’s points balance for this season is now 20+51.
However, Florida’s big hero was Carter Verhaeghewho made four of Florida’s seven hits.
A striker in the ranks of Columbus Joona Luoto played his season opener in the NHL. Luoto, who won the SM gold in Tappara last spring, has previously played 16 games in the NHL for the Winnipeg Jets.
A bitter home loss for Pittsburgh
The number one team in the regular season, the Boston Bruins, beat the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins 4–3. The loss was bitter for Pittsburgh, which was fighting for a playoff spot, as the team came from a losing position to draw level three times.
The deciding goal of the match was scored by Boston David Pastrnak just over two minutes before the end of the match. Czech striker Pastrnak scored a hat-trick in the match, i.e. three goals.
Pastrnak now has a total of 56 goals this season, and he is second in the goal exchange. Pastrnak is five goals away from the Edmonton Oilers About Connor McDavid.
Pittsburgh’s power player was Bryan Rustwho scored two goals and assisted one in the match.
Luukkonen and Raanta in action
The thin playoff seam of the Buffalo Sabres, at least in theory, remained alive when the team beat the Philadelphia Flyers 6-3 away from home. Buffalo goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen saved 39/42 times in the match.
The Carolina Hurricanes claimed a 3-0 away win by knocking off the Montreal Canadiens. Finished Carolina’s third goal Sebastian Aho, for whom the hit was the 34th of the current season. Carolina’s other Finnish forwards Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Jesse Puljujärvi missed points. Teuvo Teräväinen did not play in the match due to illness.
Carolina’s goal came back Antti Raanta, who injured his groin just under a month ago against Montreal. Raanta stopped 14 shots in the match and the clean sheet was the fourth of the season for the player from Rauma.
He was seen in a Montreal shirt for the first time since the end of February Joel Armiawho, like Raanta, celebrated the Finnish championship in the spring of 2013 in Pori’s Ässie ranks.
The New Jersey Devils beat the Chicago Blackhawks 6-3 away. of New Jersey Erik Haula scored 1+1 points in the match and Pori’s performances for the whole season are now 11+26. Haula managed to score now in the third game in a row.
Nashville’s Saros was a wall for St. Louis
Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros was an almost impenetrable wall for the opposing St. Louis Blues. Saros made 21 of 22 saves as Nashville beat St. Louis 6-1 on home ice.
Saros was about eight and a half minutes away from his second clean sheet of the season. St. Louis Swedish defender Calle Rosen broke the score column in the third period.
The results of the NHL round:
Nashville–St. Louis 6–1 NSH: Saros 21/22 defense
Pittsburgh–Boston 3–4
Tampa Bay–NY Islanders 5–0
Philadelphia–Buffalo 3–6 BUF: Luukkonen 39/42 save.
Columbus to Florida 0 to 7 FLA: Barkov 0+3
Ottawa to Toronto 0 to 3
Montreal–Carolina 0 to 3 CAR: Aho 1+0, Raanta 14/14 saves.
Chicago–New Jersey 3–6 NJD: Haula 1+1
Colorado–Dallas 5–2 COL: Rantanen 1+3
Vegas to Minnesota 4–1
Seattle to Los Angeles 1–3
Arizona–San Jose in progress ARI: Maccelli 0+1 SJS: Kähkönen xx/xx save.
Edmonton–Anaheim in progress