Post by NorthStarsGM on Jun 27, 2021 4:07:29 GMT
Minnesota (AP) – After a closer than expected first round matchup against the Kings for the NorthStars and a seven game battle for the Canucks saw them squeak out a series win. And so we have a #1 and #2 seed battle with a spot in the first Cup Finals on the line. So let's compare the two teams:
FORWARDS
In the regular season, Minnesota outscored Vancouver by a 375 to 332 margin. We talked about this team in my previous article - led by Dale Hawerchuk and his insane 138 points, Dino Ciccarelli's team leading 54 goals and a team with six players who scored more than 30 goals in a season. For Vancouver, they counter Hawerchuk with #99 Wayne Gretzky who led the team in goals and points with 125. Vancouver had five players score 30 goals or more so they're a lot like Minnesota in how their offense is made up of. In the playoffs so far, The usual suspects lead the way for both clubs with the likes of Gretzky, Sundstrom and Pederson as the top scoring forwards for the Canucks in the playoffs. In their six game series, Minnesota saw great production out of forward Rick Vaive which leads the team with 10 points.
DEFENSE
On paper it's the defense where the two should be very different. Minnesota has the high end talent and incredible depth across all 3 pairings while Vancouver - at least on paper has a group of majority #4/5 defenders across all their pairings - but they get it done. Doug Lidster and rookie Olusson both had great starts to the postseason for Vancouver and they'll need to be on spot if they want to hold back the offense of the NorthStars. In Minnesota, they made a trade deadline deal to bolster the blueline with Borje Salming from Toronto to add to an already impressive unit with tremendous depth as the NorthStars #5 and 6 defenders likely would play top four minutes for most other teams in the league.
GOALTENDING
In net, Vancouver's Clint Malarchuk has put up a 2.97GAA and 90.0SV% in his six playoff games. Don Beaupre, who's likely a Vezina nominee after his fantastic season with the North Stars, was solid in his first round, going 4-1 with a 2.97GAA with a 88.8SV%. It was fine numbers but he never needed to steal a game as the forwards would outscore their defensive problems but they need to turn that around against the high scoring Canucks.
Season Series: Minnesota won 4-2 but outscored the Canucks by a 29-18 margin
FORWARDS
In the regular season, Minnesota outscored Vancouver by a 375 to 332 margin. We talked about this team in my previous article - led by Dale Hawerchuk and his insane 138 points, Dino Ciccarelli's team leading 54 goals and a team with six players who scored more than 30 goals in a season. For Vancouver, they counter Hawerchuk with #99 Wayne Gretzky who led the team in goals and points with 125. Vancouver had five players score 30 goals or more so they're a lot like Minnesota in how their offense is made up of. In the playoffs so far, The usual suspects lead the way for both clubs with the likes of Gretzky, Sundstrom and Pederson as the top scoring forwards for the Canucks in the playoffs. In their six game series, Minnesota saw great production out of forward Rick Vaive which leads the team with 10 points.
DEFENSE
On paper it's the defense where the two should be very different. Minnesota has the high end talent and incredible depth across all 3 pairings while Vancouver - at least on paper has a group of majority #4/5 defenders across all their pairings - but they get it done. Doug Lidster and rookie Olusson both had great starts to the postseason for Vancouver and they'll need to be on spot if they want to hold back the offense of the NorthStars. In Minnesota, they made a trade deadline deal to bolster the blueline with Borje Salming from Toronto to add to an already impressive unit with tremendous depth as the NorthStars #5 and 6 defenders likely would play top four minutes for most other teams in the league.
GOALTENDING
In net, Vancouver's Clint Malarchuk has put up a 2.97GAA and 90.0SV% in his six playoff games. Don Beaupre, who's likely a Vezina nominee after his fantastic season with the North Stars, was solid in his first round, going 4-1 with a 2.97GAA with a 88.8SV%. It was fine numbers but he never needed to steal a game as the forwards would outscore their defensive problems but they need to turn that around against the high scoring Canucks.
Season Series: Minnesota won 4-2 but outscored the Canucks by a 29-18 margin