Aki-Petteri Pulkkinen
This is where the Dallas Stars fell, writes NHL journalist Aki-Petteri Pulkkinen.
The night before Friday, there were two big shocks in the NHL.
Or, well, big and big. If it had been said before the start of the season that Dallas and Edmonton would be eliminated in the opening round, it would have been possible to talk about really big things.
Now, I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Before the start of the playoffs, I believed that Dallas would take down Minnesota in seven games, but soon after the series started, it started to look like the Wild would take the series for themselves.
Stars’ stars couldn’t get anything done with 5 on 5, and in addition, Mikko Rantanen (6 matches, points 1+6, -8) and Miro Heiskanen (6, 2+4, -9) played visibly weak despite their efficiency.
In the light of advanced statistics, the difference between the teams in a draw was not huge, but looking at the game, the difference in level seemed big.
Miro Heiskanen’s power count is the most chilling in the NHL playoffs. PDO
The width of the Dallas team and the potential for scoring were praised throughout the season, but in reality the team was only carried by the number one stars with superiority.
The tracks played their role reasonably well, but a result would have been required. Especially when the top players of the Wild washed the first names of the Stars.
Based on what we have seen, it is relatively easy to say that the Lions will hardly get help from Texas for the World Cup in Switzerland. In addition to the Finns mentioned above, Arttu Hyry was injured in the middle of the series and Roope Hintz did not play a single game in the playoffs.
The only potential NHL help could be Esa Lindell, whose records, at least the signer, did not find any flaws indicating bad injuries. It’s unlikely that even he was in prime condition.
Another surprise came in Anaheim, where the Ducks defeated Edmonton, who played in the Stanley Cup finals two years ago.
For the Ducks, the biggest question mark was the inexperience of the young frame in the playoffs.
However, veterans like Chris Kreider, Alex Killorn and Mikael Granlund, who were marinated in the playoffs, gave the young stars enough motivation.
So where did the series end? Of course, to the familiar and unsafe defense and goaltending game of the Oilers.
The Oilers scored less than three goals in just one of six games. The number of goals should have been enough.
When the above-mentioned areas failed, the fact that perhaps the most superior offensive machine in the history of hockey, Connor McDavid, played clearly poorly did not make matters any easier. And Leon Draisaitl, who was bundled up for the playoffs, wasn’t intact either, even though his chain played great.
Mikael Granlund scored 2+4 in six games against Edmonton – the same as Connor McDavid. PDO
With the loss of the Oilers, the Finns in the organization would be available to the Lions.
Kasperi Kapanen played a great series and would certainly be suitable for Antti Pennanen’s coaching team, but the man’s contract is broken, so he will hardly go to the World Cup.
Edmonton’s farm club Bakersfield Condors’ games have also ended for the current season. There are also plenty of interesting Finnish names with the World Cup in mind. The team was represented by defender Atro Leppänen and forwards Viljami Marjala and Roby Järventie, whose contract is on hold.
The eliminations of Dallas and Edmonton already in the opening round prove NHL head man Gary Bettman’s claim about “the best first round in sports” to be true.
It’s another question, is it right that two of the seven best teams in the entire NHL met in the opening round.
No one can claim that the opening round did not contain enough excitement and twists.
And the opening round is not over. Three series are still in progress and all of them are on break the night before Saturday.
Gary Bettman didn’t lie. PDO
