TAMPERE, Finland – The Dallas Stars and Florida Panthers each feel like they can send a strong message in Game 1 of the Finnish leg of the Global Series on Friday at Nokia Arena (2 p.m. ET; Victory+, SCRIPPS , NHLN, SN).
Both camps have the necessary ingredients to make it happen. Both the Stars and the Panthers are part of the NHL’s elite this season and count on several Finnish players.
The Panthers are the defending Stanley Cup champions. The Stars have appeared in the last two Western finals.
Roope Hintz, Esa Lindell and Miro Heiskanen represent Finland for the Stars. Aleksander Barkov, Anton Lundell, Eetu Luostarinen and Niko Mikkola fill the same role for the Panthers. And Tuomo Ruutu, their assistant coach, also comes from the Scandinavian country.
Stars defenseman Matt Dumba has seen his Finnish teammates up close this week, enough to realize the influence they have in their country. He knows that the two matches this weekend are very important for them – and therefore also for the team.
“They are proud men, and they want to represent Finland with dignity,” he said. They do it every day in America, but to come home and do it where you grew up is special. »
Head coach Peter DeBoer agrees. He believes that the numerous team activities organized over the past few days have made his players realize that their Finnish teammates care about their country and their culture.
“We cannot replicate the enthusiasm of the Finnish players here. But I think our group, full of special human beings, is excited to see them so excited, he elaborated. Everyone wants to put on a good show, enjoy the moment and make it special for them. It shows how important these three players are to our team. They all want to perform well for Roope in front of his family and friends. »
Hintz. 27 years old, spent two seasons with the Tampere team in the Finnish Liiga before playing in the NHL. Barkov, 29, played with Tappara, the city’s other Liiga team, before making the jump to the Panthers. The captain is even a native of Tampere.
On the ice, the two local prides should engage in quite a duel on Friday. The two center players will meet many times in the faceoff circles during the match.
“Two of the best centers in the NHL come from the same small region. “That impresses me,” DeBoer admitted. They’re almost the same age too. And we are far from Helsinki, the capital! »
DeBoer and Panthers coach Paul Maurice played together with the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL 40 years ago. It was Maurice who gave DeBoer his first coaching opportunity. Since then, they have been loyal friends.
“We started our careers together… almost accidentally,” Maurice said. We had no idea what we were doing there. Eventually, we each made our way to the NHL. »
Not only are they still in the NHL, but they are leading two of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup in a few months.
Every coach and every player thrives on the kind of challenge that the Global Series is, especially when it is played against a strong opponent.
“Every time you have the opportunity to face the defending champions, you look forward to playing,” said Stars captain Jamie Benn. “It will be the same on Friday and Saturday: we will do everything to win the match. »
Maurice noted that his team is at the top of its game this season against the teams it faced in the last playoff series. She has an immaculate record of 2-0-0 against the Boston Bruins, whom she knocked down in the second round, and 1-0-0 against the New York Rangers, whom she eliminated in the final of the ‘East.
“The players understand the rivalry well when they approach this type of match. So it’s easy for them to play with emotion,” the coach explained.
But Maurice believes that even if the Panthers have never faced the Stars in the playoffs, his flock will be ready for the weekend’s meetings.
“We have a lot of respect for Dallas, even though we’ve never faced them in the playoffs. The challenge this year is to constantly play with the emotion of a match against a great rival. »
The plots write themselves. The star cast is undeniable. And the bond that unites the two teams with Finnish fans is already strong.
“We should have very good matches,” concluded DeBoer.
