Eeli Tolvanen’s chain was stopped by Colorado’s top player and it was a reason why the team managed to shine in the playoffs. The twelve also highlights the breadth of the squad as a decisive factor.
The Seattle Kraken did what many did not believe: the team eliminated the reigning champions Colorado Avalanche in the first round. The series went all the way to a seventh game with Seattle up 2–1.
– It feels fantastic. If someone would have said while I was in Nashville that I would be playing in the second round of the playoffs with Seattle, I would have gladly accepted it.
– It’s great that I’ve found a place in the team and got to play a lot night after night, Säger Eeli Tolvanen until Yle Urheilu.
The twelve really got to play in the playoffs – ice time has increased by two minutes compared to the regular season. Together with Yanni Gourde and Oliver Bjorkstrand, he has made life miserable for Colorado’s first chain.
– The whole chain made a good series. Our role was defensive and we handled it with style. We managed to tire out their top players. We also created many chances, says Tolvanen, who accounted for 1+2 in seven games.
The chain but Tolvanen, Gourde and Bjorkstrand had an important role in the series against Colorado.
Bild: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
NHL, Eeli Tolvanen, Yanni Gourde, Oliver Bjorkstrand
The first match ignited the spark
Mikko Rantanen, Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar carried a heavy load for Colorado, who had nine scorers in the series and twelve players who scored points. The team also had injury losses during the regular season and in the playoffs.
For Seattle, fifteen players scored in the series while eighteen were recorded in the scoring record.
– It was the width that decided in our favor. It felt like Colorado’s first chain did all the scoring while we were playing with four chains. Colorado relied heavily on MacKinnon, Rantanen and Makar, says Tolvanen.
The Seattle Kraken immediately surprised when the series opened with a 3-1 victory away from home. According to Tolvanen, there was then a feeling that carried the team all the way.
– The entire first period we were spinning in their zone and then the feeling came that if we play like this and fight, the series can turn in our favor, he says.
Now Seattle will knock out Dallas
After the debacle in Game 7, shifting focus will be quick for Seattle. Already during the night of Wednesday, the playoff series starts against the Dallas Stars on the road.
– It will be a different series. They have four good chains, big guys and a good goaltender. They don’t rely only on top players even though Roope Hintz and Miro Heiskanen are having a great spring, says Tolvanen.
And it’s a Seattle oozing with confidence heading into the series.
– We defeated the reigning champion so the feeling is obviously good, we believe in ourselves. Now we go in to win the second round as well, says Tolvanen.
