The Dallas Stars aim to secure a series split against the Florida Panthers as the teams wrap up their NHL Global Series on Saturday in Tampere, Finland.
Friday’s game set a high bar, especially for the Finnish fans. In the Panthers’ 6-4 win, all seven Finnish players from both teams were on the ice for the opening faceoff. Florida’s captain Aleksander Barkov, a Tampere native, tallied a goal and three assists, while fellow Finns Anton Lundell and Niko Mikkola each contributed with a goal and an assist, respectively.
For Dallas, Esa Lindell also shined with a goal and an assist.
Though thrilled with the win, Panthers coach Paul Maurice joked afterward that both he and Dallas coach Pete DeBoer weren’t thrilled about the 10-goal game, saying, “Pete and I are going to try to bore you (Saturday) if we can manage it.”
The Stars, whose two-game winning streak was halted, struggled early after a six-day break. Florida scored in the first minute, and Barkov doubled the lead within eight minutes. Though the Panthers led 6-2 in the third, the Stars managed two late goals in the final five minutes.
After the loss, DeBoer commented on his team’s slow start but dismissed the idea that it was due to the time off or the series’ events, saying, “They were in the sauna too, and they showed up on time to play.” He hinted at potential lineup changes for Saturday.
While Barkov’s performance stood out, Lundell’s play was another highlight for Florida. The 23-year-old extended his point streak to four games and has 13 points in the season’s first 12 games. His surge in production has been key, especially with Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk each missing several games due to injury.
Maurice praised Lundell’s growth, attributing it to the momentum he built during last season’s playoffs, where he played a pivotal role in Florida’s first Stanley Cup win. “It’s easy to forget how young he is,” Maurice said, adding that Lundell has continually faced high-stakes situations early in his career.
Despite the high-scoring nature of Friday’s game, both goalies—Sergei Bobrovsky for Florida and Jake Oettinger for Dallas—made impressive saves. Maurice remarked on Dallas’s resilience, noting they play more aggressively when trailing, which is why they remain competitive year after year.