The 2024 NHL Global Series in Finland kicked off today with the Dallas Stars facing the reigning Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers. The Stars, who have earned a strong following in Finland due to their “Finnish Mafia” of Esa Lindell, Miro Heiskanen, and Roope Hintz, were warmly received by local fans.
Matt Duchene, notable for his international playing experience, entered the series on a four-game point streak, making him a player to watch. His contributions, along with the Finnish trio’s presence, highlight the appeal of this matchup for the NHL.
First Period
Florida set the tone from the start, putting the Stars under pressure immediately. Just 28 seconds in, Evan Rodrigues capitalized on a turnover by Esa Lindell right after Dallas exited their defensive zone, redirecting the puck past Jake Oettinger to open the scoring.
Dallas struggled to find their footing early on, with turnovers disrupting their play and limiting their offensive zone entries during the first few minutes. Florida’s attack faced little resistance, managing consistent, clean shots on goal. One key turnover gave Matt Duchene a scoring opportunity, but his shot missed the net, allowing momentum to shift back to Florida. Aleksander Barkov soon doubled the Panthers’ lead with a precise glove-side shot past Oettinger.
Despite being hemmed in their own zone for much of the period, the Stars managed to strike back. Tyler Seguin pulled off an opportunistic play, banking a shot off Sergei Bobrovsky’s skate from behind the net to cut Florida’s lead with nine minutes left. However, the Panthers quickly regained control, and a penalty on Matthew Tkachuk for interference on Mason Marchment gave Dallas a brief reprieve. Although the Stars generated quality chances during the power play, Bobrovsky stood firm.
Shortly after, Matt Dumba was penalized for a play on Tkachuk, putting Florida on the power play. Anton Lundell made the most of it, deflecting an Aaron Ekblad shot to notch the Panthers’ third goal and close out an intense first period.
Score: Stars 1 – Panthers 3
Shots on Goal: Stars 10 – Panthers 13
Second Period
The second period began with a surge from the Stars, determined to narrow the gap. Just one minute in, Jason Robertson made a smart backhanded pass off a rebound, setting up Esa Lindell for a goal that cut into Florida’s lead.
Dallas displayed renewed defensive energy, disrupting the Panthers’ rhythm and creating more offensive opportunities. Mason Marchment came close to scoring after maneuvering into prime position in front of Sergei Bobrovsky but was knocked off the puck before finishing. Both teams exchanged end-to-end rushes and solid chances, until a hooking call against Florida gave Dallas a power play. However, a misplay by the Stars led to a shorthanded 2-on-1 break for Florida, which Sam Reinhart converted with precision to extend their lead.
Midway through the period, penalties on both sides led to 4-on-4 action, opening up the ice but yielding no goals. Frustrations rose for Dallas when Marchment took an ill-timed and very unnecessary cross-checking penalty, putting them back on the defensive. Florida began the man advantage with relentless pressure, peppering shots toward the net, but Dallas managed to hold on until a penalty on the Panthers shifted momentum.
The Stars’ best chance during the ensuing power play came during a chaotic scramble in front of Bobrovsky, but they failed to convert, leaving the score unchanged and showing some cracks in their special teams, which have been strong so far in the season.
Score: Stars 2 – Panthers 4
Shots on Goal: Stars 13 – Panthers 9
Third Period
Early in the third period, Mackie Samoskevich extended Florida’s lead to three with a well-placed shot. The Stars pushed hard to mount a comeback but continued to face difficulties breaking out of their own zone. Both teams maintained a relatively low shot count as the period progressed, reflecting tight defensive play.
Jason Robertson generated a quality scoring opportunity near the midway point but was turned aside by Sergei Bobrovsky, who remained sharp throughout the game. Despite bursts of energy, Dallas found it challenging to break through Florida’s defense, with both sides effectively limiting high-danger chances through the mid parts of the period.
A chaotic scramble in front of the Panthers’ net finally yielded results for Dallas. After video review, it was confirmed that Mavrik Bourque managed to push the puck under Bobrovsky, narrowing the score with just over four minutes left. The Stars pressed forward with renewed urgency, and Jamie Benn capitalized in the final minute to make it 6-4. However, despite this late surge, Dallas fell short, unable to overcome the Panthers’ lead.
Final Score of the Game: Stars 4 – Panthers 6
Final Shots on Goal: Stars 36 – Panthers 28
Three Stars of the Game ⭐️Aleksander Barkov ⭐️⭐️Sam Reinhart ⭐️⭐️⭐️Esa Lindell
Despite the slow start and final score, the Stars were generating quality scoring chances all through out as we can see from the Shot Map and Cumulative Scoring Chances charts. What to pay attention to in the Shot map is the number of high chance shots by the Stars near the net front.
Source: MoneyPuck
In the Cumulative Shot Map, we see the Stars had higher chance shots before the midpoint of the game, but ultimately were shut down by Bobrovsky.
Source: MoneyPuck
Tomorrow, they get a chance to bounce back.