4 Games in, 4 Things The Final 4 Teams Taught Us

We’ve reached a unique spot in the conference finals. Why? Well, both have been great and are shaping up to go the distance. The Florida Panthers and New York Rangers are tied up at two wins apiece and the Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars are in the same place.

There are plenty of angles to approach both matchups and the teams that have made them great. The Eastern and Western Conference finals have provided some big-picture insights that have made the games significant and interesting for both casual and passionate hockey fan.

1)   Arenas Make a Difference

The first two games of the Eastern Conference Final were played at Madison Square Garden. There were six total goals in the two games and the games themselves were slow, chippy, and defensive-minded. The same was true about the two games held at American Airlines Center, the home of the Dallas Stars, where the games were 3-2 and 3-1.

Suddenly, the Stars and Oilers play Games 3 and 4 in Edmonton at Rogers Place and it’s like they are playing a different sport. The Stars took Game 3 with a 5-3 offensive performance while the Oilers rebounded the next game with a high-scoring showing of their own (a 5-2 win).

Throw in the 5-4 Game 3 between the Panthers and Rangers and it’s clear that the differences in arenas made a significant impact on the games themselves. The heat and humidity outside the arena, especially in Dallas, slowed down the ice and thus made the games slower.

Conversely, the games in Edmonton were played in cooler conditions at an arena that is known for the best ice in the NHL. Madison Square Garden meanwhile had worse ice for a different reason. Their arena is multiple-purposed and thus the conditions of the surface are always worse. It shows in the playoffs. 

2)   Depth Helps But Top-End Talent Will Win These Games

The Stars are getting a boost from their third line and the fourth line in the offensive zone. However, the players leading the way are Jason Robertson and Wyatt Johnston, their two best who have combined for five goals in this series. 

The Oilers similarly win and lose games with their core skaters making a difference. Connor McDavid, Leon Draisailt, Zach Hyman, and Evan Bouchard have scored seven of the team’s 12 goals in the series. 

The Panthers and Rangers are also carried by their star players whether it’s Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov for Florida or Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafreniere for New York. Those four skaters have been the biggest contributors in all three zones.

Depth goes a long way and these four teams would not make it this far in the playoffs without it. However, the elite players are what’s helping them at this point and they’ll be the ones to get their teams to the Stanley Cup Final.

3)   Great Teams Win With All Types of Goaltending

The variety of goaltending is on full display. The Rangers have world-class goaltender Igor Shesterkin carrying them to victories while Sergei Bobrovsky has a high upside, as he’s proven throughout his career but is far from world-class, yet he’s stepping up for the Panthers.

Jake Oettinger is another great goaltender but has had plenty of highs and lows this season and in the series for the Stars. Then there’s Stuart Skinner who at times has been a weak link for the Oilers. Yet, it doesn’t matter that Skinner has struggled based on the way the defense in front of him has played. 

The cliche is that teams need elite goaltending to win the Cup. Recent seasons have proven otherwise and the playoffs are proving that with a treat roster, any type of goaltender can get it done.

4)   These Game Could Go Either Way

Three of the four Eastern Conference Final games have gone to overtime. The first game of the Western Conference Final went to overtime as well while Games 3 and 4 saw one team build a comfortable lead early, only to blow it and come out on the losing end.

It shows how these games are one bounce or a play away from going the other way and how close the competition is. The winner of each series will advance by the bare minimum and it makes for great hockey for the fans.