The Chicago Blackhawks and Florida Panthers are set for the start of the playoffs beginning Friday and Saturday at Hartwall Arena in Finland. This would be the first time for Finland to host NHL.
Blackhawks are composed with a young team with offensive players. They advanced in the Western Conference last season where Detroit defeated them.
Panthers want to play the same way they did last season where they emerged from the bottom of the Eastern Conference. Peter DeBoer, Panther’s coach, explained the slow start of the team last time was because of the new coach. The group needed to adjust with the situation then. This time, the team already managed to deal with the matter and they have a better start now.
He also mentioned that Blackhawk is a good team with great skills and talents. He had this observation based on the plays that the opponent showed last season.
Panthers’ coach Joel Quenneville saw the game of Panthers versus the Finnish team Jokerit last Wednesday where the former won over the latter.
Coach Quenneville was impressed with the speed, skill, and energy of the Panthers during the last preseason game. He also added that the mobile defense of the team was remarkable. With this, they are expecting a tough challenge and assured that their team is competitive enough to fight the Panthers.
The Blackhawks will have Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp, and Jonathan Toews as the front line. These players are just around 20 to 27 years old. They also scored 85 goals last season with 95 assists and additional 23 goals during the playoffs. John Madden, a winner of Stanley Cup for two times already, will also be having his debut with the Blackhawks.
Quenneville added that the addition of Madden to the team serves as an experience for them which is composed of young players. This player is a pro and knows his way around the rink. He is also a good teammate.
Panthers, on the other and, is still undecided on who to put up on the season’s lineup. This is because three of their defensemen still have flu and Stephen Weiss is recovering from the groin injury.
