20/20: Panthers dominate Stars in Finland

One team won the Stanley Cup last season, and that one looked a lot better in a marquee event.

The Dallas Stars and Florida Panthers went to Finland this week for the NHL Global Series.

And in the first game of two-game set the Panthers won 6-4.

1. It was always going to be a big game.

Not because of the Finnish stage, although that added to it, but because of the teams involved.

The Florida Panthers are the defending Stanley Cup champions and back-to-back Eastern Conference title holders.

No one has played more hockey the past two seasons than Florida.

The Stars have been to back-to-back Western Conference Finals, while they’ve yet to get past that third round, the Stars have played more games than any team in the West the past two seasons.

This is one of the few games that could legitimately label a potential Stanley Cup Final preview.