Florida needs a small miracle to become the champion after two losses, writes Urheilu’s NHL reporter Tommi Seppälä from Las Vegas.
LAS VEGAS. Four wins out of five matches. This is what Florida, the Finnish team in the hockey Stanley Cup final series, should be able to do in the future. It is definitely possible, but at the same time, the events of the turn of the week in Las Vegas do not give reason to believe in the rise of the herd of cats.
The truth behind the big numbers is really priceless for Florida.
Not only did Vegas win both of their home games, but they absolutely crushed Florida game-wise. One could draw some kind of counter-argument to the preceding argument from the goal-scoring statistics, but it is pointless. As such, even goal position readings are highly misleading in this case.
Vegas has burst the Florida bubble in a blunt way and exposed the already known weaknesses in the Panthers’ game.
First of all, it’s about the deficiencies in Florida’s defensive end. Vegas, the NHL’s best direct attack team, has hit exactly where it was expected to hit. Florida hasn’t been able to defend Vegas’ direct offense or the offensive zone offense in general.
The Golden Knights have dominated end and corner play as well as loose puck and possession play to their heart’s content. After winning corners, Vegas delivers the puck to the line, from where it is delivered to the goal. After winning the loose puck again in the follow-up games, the puck is delivered to the line again and so on.
Florida can’t quite keep up with the fast Vegas, which is why there is a delay in the game. It’s slow to play.
The opening play has also been nightmarishly weak. Actively shedding Vegas has thrown Florida’s opener into complete chaos. To top it all off, the Panthers have continued to push the puck into the side of the game, even though the Golden Knights have completely blocked it.
As a result, Vegas has taken the spoils in the match series 36-18!
What is worrying for Florida is that it didn’t seem to come up with even the most basic solution to its problems during the two matches. Be it scoring position or any stats, Vegas has been a light year ahead in the series so far.
All of the above have brought down Florida’s house of cards in an ugly way.
Perhaps the biggest disappointment has been the total crumbling of spiritual Kant. Panthers were unbelievably undisciplined in two games and, what’s worse, led by the most important players. Even in the spring, the subject has received uninhibited incense Matthew Tkachuk the final trip is becoming a perfect pancake.
During the finals, Tkachuk, who grew into a kind of NHL rock star, posed whenever and wherever in the spotlight, basking in the spotlight. In the finals, he has skied his own team to the ground in a rough way. One point, two minuses and 36 ice minutes. The unruly mess in the rink has shown the player’s maturity level in a harsh way.
However, it was pointless to wait for Tkachuk to appear in front of the NHL media after the first game. When the press would have been hotter, there was no time for the media. This is zero-level leadership and responsibility.
Florida still is Alexander Barkov team.
The team’s Finnish captain hasn’t got his taps open either, but he was by far the best player on his team – above all, a reliable and disciplined one.
Florida has been making Tkachuk’s team, but the first two playoffs were a good reminder for all of us why the letter C doesn’t belong on the Yankees pitcher’s shirt.
Florida put on an embarrassing performance in every way in Vegas on Monday. It embarrassed itself with its unruly soloing.
The next match will be played on Thursday at Florida’s home ice. By then, the team has a lot of work to do, this also applies to Barkov. It’s also the duty of a Tampere man as captain to get the team going. Leadership must be found here and now.
Because the problem wasn’t that Florida lost two games. The problem was the way it was lost.
See all the goals of the second NHL final game in the goal compilation below.