Roope Hintz and Miro Heiskanen are the main stars in the extraordinary phenomenon of the NHL playoffs – an expert reveals what it’s all about

One of the talking points in the first round of the NHL playoffs was related to playing with superiority. The teams forged huge numbers of power hits and with absolutely exceptional powers, if the readings are compared to the opening rounds of previous years.

In the previous two springs, Colorado’s power play was the only one to sow destruction in the opening round with more than 40 percent power, but now a whole new level was reached.

Edmonton inexplicably went over 50 percent and the 40 percent limit was broken by two teams, Winnipeg and Boston. Five teams went over thirty and seven teams broke the 25 percent limit.

What is it all about?

Goal scoring efficiency

‘s hockey expert Ismo Lehkonen is the first to highlight scoring efficiency. Of course, this includes different things: all the support measures for shooting efficiency and goal scoring, including mask and control games. The teams make the most of the opportunities they get.

– The shots go off faster and more accurately. When you think about goal-scoring players, there is a chance to miss line drives well and guide them in effectively. It feels like the puck is being thrown at the goal with a tap crank, even from the line. The general scoring efficiency has improved, Lehkonen sees.

Statistics confirm Lehkonen’s view.

Of course, they are profiled as straight-from-the-pass shots Leon Draisaitl and David Pastrnak have both scored three goals this past spring, but at the top of the list is the New York Rangers Chris Kreider, who is known above all as a goal-scoring player. Kreider’s balance is five hits – many of them came from a couple of meters away from the goal.

– In the NHL, players practice directing shots and supporting goals a lot, Lehkonen points out.

When we talk about shooting directly from a pass, for example in the cases of Draisaitl or Pastrnak, the goalkeepers are powerless.

– In the NHL, you play a lot crosswise, sometimes a couple of times, and then the puck moves really fast and the shots go hard. Bat and shooting techniques are moving forward at a fast pace and it seems that the development has not progressed at the same pace as far as goalkeepers are concerned.

Edmonton and the Finnish Dallas

There are many different ways to get to the same end result that lights up the red light in the game of superiority. You can score a goal without a real superiority pattern already from a direct attack. Some run more through the line and some through a playmaker operating near the wing. There are many ways.

– Direct attacks are used more and more, but that option falls away if the puck starts to dribble downwards in the central area, then we usually go to one or the other side, says Lehkonen.

In Lehkonen’s eyes, the most impressive dominance game has so far been seen from Edmonton. The Oilers penalized Los Angeles 16 times with an unfathomable nine attempts. Especially a game where Connor McDavid picks up Leon Draisaitl with a cross pass, is extremely dangerous and effective.

McDavid’s pass lands precisely on the shoulder, and the German’s shooting skills leave the goalkeeper little to no chance.

– I have really liked Edmonton’s superiority. McDavid’s passing skill is at an incredible level, but it should not be forgotten Zach Hymania and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Hyman does his job excellently in the goal and Nugent-Hopkins in the middle enables passing through the square and on the other hand he can also shoot from the middle, praises Lehkonen.

– Edmonton has a nice set of pieces and a lot of variations.

The most effective Finnish power players have been found in Dallas. Even in spite of the fact that he is often named the league’s best goal-scoring player Joe Pavelski was already injured in the first match of the playoffs. The efficiency of Dallas’ power play is no less than 37.5 percent below the second round.

Roope Hintz seven overtime points is second in the entire league and Miro Heiskanen five points for the seventh highest reading.

– In the NHL, superior players are a kind of cheaters. They look like pitchers when they pitch and pitchers when they pass. Hintz is one of those cheaters and a key factor in Dallas’ power play. Miro is not a line bomber, but he is excellent at delivering the puck to the goal. Kuti doesn’t stay with the first men, Lehkonen points out.

– I wouldn’t have thought that Dallas’ dominance game would work so well without Pavelski, but that’s just how it works.

“If it becomes passive, the square will start to be taken away”

Of course, playing with superiority is always in relation to playing with inferiority, which has often been considered even more important than effective superiority in terms of success in the playoffs. At the same time, when the powers of power plays are hitting record readings, Los Angeles has played 43 percent, Vegas 58 percent and Florida 59 percent power plays.

Edmonton and Minnesota have also fallen below 70 percent.

The readings are terribly weak.

– I personally like the way Carolina plays. Time and space are constantly being taken away. The spirit of the game is pressure, pressure, pressure, especially when the puck goes anywhere near the rim, Lehkonen praises Carolina, who killed the ice with more than 94 percent efficiency.

– If playing underpowered becomes even a little bit passive, then the square starts to be taken. Especially in the second half, if you don’t catch up, the defenders will never be able to change from there, laughs Lehkonen.

Of course, a high-quality superiority game already acts as a deterrent when playing five against five. For example, Edmonton has received the fewest whistles so far.

– I have experienced this firsthand numerous times. A good possession game has a big impact on how the opponent dares to play five-on-five. When the superiority game is 40–50 faces, the opponent does not dare to play so aggressively and vice versa. If they know that overpowering is bad, they will definitely take it a little harder.

Lehkonen does not know how to take a position on that yet, what kind of role the superior game will play as the playoffs progress.

– Now let’s see how to whistle and other things. As a hockey romantic myself, I would hope that these games would be decided by playing five against five, Lehkonen laughs at the end.

In the most recent episode of Ika änär, we talked about prison rules and the referee’s line, goalkeepers and the Finns of Dallas. You can find all episodes of Ika änäri in this link.