A treat for fans in Tampere: Panthers, Stars send 7 Finns out for opening faceoff

TAMPERE, Finland -- The Florida Panthers and nan Dallas Stars didn't make nan Finnish fans hold agelong to spot their homeland's players return nan crystal connected Friday.

They started each of them.

Florida had its 4 Finns — Tampere autochthonal Aleksander Barkov, Eetu Luostarinen, Niko Mikkola and Anton Lundell — each connected nan crystal together to commencement nan game. Dallas did nan same, sending retired its 3 Finnish players successful Miro Heiskanen, Roope Hintz and Esa Lindell for nan first shift.

And Barkov sewage nan scoring statement started early, pinch an assistance connected Evan Rodrigues' game-opening extremity 28 seconds into nan title — past a extremity of his ain later successful nan opening period. It was Barkov's first NHL extremity successful Finland; he played 2 different games location pinch nan Panthers successful 2018.

Lundell scored later successful nan first play for Florida.

The Panthers person nan astir Finnish players successful nan NHL this season. Dallas' 3 is tied for second-most successful nan league.

The teams will play again successful Tampere connected Saturday. Friday was a “home” crippled for Dallas, and Florida will count arsenic nan location squad connected Saturday.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl