Quick Glance:

This will be exciting. You need a microscope connected to a telescope connected to a magnifying glass – or something like that – if you are trying to discover which team has the edge. It’s the league’s top two teams in the regular season and they’re so closely matched they both tallied 120 points in the standings. The league’s top offense during the regular season versus the league’s top defense. And they were right behind each other in both categories. A goalie born in Mexico versus a goalie born in Romania … Coach Brent Sutter versus Dave Tippett … just make sure you’re in front of your TV for every minute of this series.

Goalies (in playoffs):

• Minsk – Attila Adorjan (2.28 GAA; .912 save percentage)
• Helsinki – Andres De La Garma (1.95 GAA; .926 save percentage)

Top Plus/Minus players (in playoffs):

• Minsk – Vasily Podkolzin, Markus Granlund and Alex Formenton (+8)
• Helsinki – Erik Karlsson and Noah Dobson (+8)

Expert Panel Predictions:

• Commissioner Chuck: Minsk? I guess. I just don’t know. Both goalies are capable of frustrating their opponents and subtly throwing shooters off their games. Oh, I don’t know, there are too many variables: home ice advantage, injuries, penalties, puck hitting goal posts, cheerleaders … I’m getting a headache. I’ll lean toward Minsk because Dave Tippett has 4 Best Coach Trophies in his home, but I really don’t know.
• Rose: I do know. Helsinki in 5 games. Handsome veteran legend Erik Karlsson has been mentoring his whole team lately. I watch the stats and I see that he leads Helsinki in both plus/minus and turnover ratio. His teammates don’t watch the stats but they have been watching Karlsson play great hockey lately. He’s handsome and he’s an inspiration. I’m probably not going to either Finland or Belarus to watch Karlsson play in person because the people in both of those countries bore me. But I will definitely see my handsome man play in Germany in a couple weeks.