Four matches, four (3+1) power points and the people are shouting the name of the Tesoman at the top of their lungs. Patrick Laine could not have wished for a better start to his season at the new club. The violin of Laine, who was traded to the ranks of the Montreal Canadiens in the summer, has been playing a familiar note from the left wing with superiority: four games, three overpowering hits.
Getting into Montreal’s first dominant lineup, which worked excellently throughout the fall, was even a question mark from the start. Already scored 17 goals, playing like Laine with his right hand down Cole Caufield had operated effectively from exactly the place where Lainek has made his money in the NHL.
A good week after Laine’s return, the situation has turned upside down. Laine plays the first violin in the first superiority orchestra in the role of a striker. Caufield, who recorded 7+1 overpowering performances, has not scored a single point with overpowering power since the Finnish winger’s return.
After Laine’s return, Montreal has managed to score three goals in nine overtime games. From the racket of every Wave.
The essence exudes confidence
Laine’s body language in Montreal has looked completely different than in previous years in Columbus. The essence of the power forward with a Tappara background has exuded Lainee’s typical, even somewhat cocky confidence from the first changes.
This has been seen on the rink as a fearlessness to seek solutions. Laine knows that he is good again and that he can solve problems, especially in the possession game. When the puck enters the cylinder in the right way, the opponent’s goalkeeper has to hurry.
– This reflects the mental potential this guy has. He doesn’t get nervous, even though it’s the best league in the world and the brightest lights there. That blacksmith just won’t freeze. He doesn’t get nervous, but is able to squeeze incredible performances out of himself, even in important places, ‘s ice hockey expert Ismo Lehkonen praises.
It has quickly become apparent that Lainea has the opportunity to put her statistics in good shape through the superiority game. According to Lehkonen, this bodes well for Leijon as well, considering the NHL’s top tournament of four countries in February. Laine was selected for the team last week.
– We have seen what Laine brings to the Finnish team. This special skill of the overpowering game is what Finland needs, especially when without Laine there would have been no shooting threat of a right-hander playing down. When the beginning has been such a dream, there is no need for anyone from the team to explain why Laine is involved.
However, ice hockey is more than a game of superiority. If Laine has gotten off to a fairy-tale start to his season with superiority, at the other extreme there are difficulties when playing five against five. Of course, when evaluating Laine’s overall performance, it is good to remember that he had not played for eleven months before his debut.
All the same for Laine, also known from TPS by Juraj Slafkovsky and the one operating in the chain as a center By Kirby Dach the cooperative game has not started working at all yet. Ketju has been able to create some good goal chances, but at the same time it has leaked into its own head almost from one change to another.
The dangerous goal posts have been on sale when the trio was on the ice. The trio has lost goal positions 13–29 in four matches and 5–14 from the first sector as well. If the limit is set to 30 minutes played together, the goal expectancy created against Laine’s chain is the fifth highest in the series among all attacking chains. The trio of goals have only lost 1–2.
Lehkonen surprises head coach Martin St. Louis chain selections.
– Perhaps it was a little surprising that Laine was made to play with two such players who have had a really difficult season. Dach is under severe pressure and seems to be crumbling a little. Slafkovsky is still too young for the role he plays, Lehkonen sees.
“As long as the man stays healthy”
The timing of Laine’s return was hardly a coincidence, as the Tampere player was able to start the season with five home matches, where he played and will play mostly basement teams. Lehkonen believes that everyday realism will hit Lainee more strongly in terms of physics and other things, when the team goes on longer away trips before and after Christmas.
Lehkonen also believes that chain changes are on the way.
– Now let’s see how long head coach St. Louis manages to bully Laine in this thread, Lehkonen laughs.
– There have been some pretty good games here against weaker teams, but then it’s a bit of a different level of grinding when this team goes on a longer away trip at Christmas time. Still, I wouldn’t take the five-on-five game too seriously at this early stage. Let’s give it time, says Lehkonen.
According to Lehkonen, Laine’s start in Montreal has been excellent. It is clear that it will take Lainee some time to get in top shape, but body language, the power of the superior game and the ever-growing self-confidence, according to the long-term puck man, create a foundation on which to build more.
– After all, this is the beginning of a movie. He gets to play good minutes there and gets in good shape over time. Everything looks good now, as long as the man stays healthy, Lehkonen says.