Aleksander Barkov commanded much of the overwhelming pressure the Panthers applied to the Rangers in a 2-2 tie en route back to New York.
It wouldn’t be far off the mark to say he was the most underrated two-way forward throughout much of his career.
That thinking appears to continue after winning his second Selke Trophy, with his odds of three shots or more being set at as much as $500 on Thursday.
According to Natural Stats Trick, the Panthers have outscored the Rangers 132-74 in shots at all strengths through four games when Barkov is on the ice.
Though he had zero points in the four games leading up to Game 3, Barkov’s goal hopes remained undiminished.
The Florida captain is on pace to make 3 1/4 shots per game in the Eastern Conference finals and 2 2/3 shots per game in 15 playoff games.
One of the reasons Barkov’s offensive power is underrated is because of his excellent defense.
He’s tough on the puck and plays with his defensive stick, which only perpetuates turnovers.
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That skill was on full display against the Rangers, as he found himself in two one-on-one situations with Igor Shesterkin on Tuesday, including one that led to a penalty kick in extra time that turned out to be the winning goal.
The theme of this series has been Shesterkin’s unwavering play against Florida’s overwhelming dominance at 5-on-5.
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Whether or not this form continues, Barkov has been a solid 5-on-5 shooter, ranking 14th overall in the playoffs with an unblocked shooting percentage of 60 percent.
Play: Aleksandr Barkov records 3+ shots on goal (+100, FanDuel)
