- Tappara seeing Semi-Finals action for the first time
- Munich have one of the better all around squads
- Tappara's netminder has been stellar so far
Red Bull Munich enter their second Semi-Finals in three years while this leg of the competition is brand new for Finnish side Tappara Tampere.
Good First Impressions
Tappara are coming off a definitive 4-0 victory over the Rouen Dragons and will look to take that momentum into their first-ever Semi-Finals matchup. Housing one of the better offensive teams, which is producing a respectable 3.8 goals per game with a powerplay efficiency at 31.11%, good enough for sixth in the league, the Finns have made a case as to why they should move on.
While Kristian Kuusela has yet to find the net, he’s certainly helped others do so with his 11 helpers for 11 points through 10 games. In his ninth season with the club, Kuusela has netted double-digit goals in all but two seasons since joining Tappara and will look to break through against a German team that has only allowed an average of 2 goals against per game. Meanwhile, Tappara’s netminder, Christian Heljanko, has been a saving grace for the Finns with his 2.62 goals against average along with a respectable 88.5 save percentage and one shutout to amass a 7-1 record.
Back in the Saddle Again
Munich find themselves back in the Semi-Finals after squeaking past Finnish side Lukko Rauma in a 2-1 OT victory. Boasting an offence that has found the net an average of 3 goals per game, the Germans are comfortable with the puck on their stick and know how to control the pace of a game. Add to that the fact that their backend has been dominant throughout the tournament, only allowing an average of 2 goals against per game while sporting the fourth best penalty kill percentage at 89.47%.
When it comes to scoring, the Germans have a trio of players up front with double-digit point totals. Frederik Tiffels (8G,6A), Ben Street (3G,10A), and Trevor Parkes (6G,6A) are first through third in points, respectively, and have been instrumental in helping Munich reach this point. At the point, American defenceman Zachary Redmond has 10 points through 10 contests with 1 goal and 9 assists and in net, Danny aus den Birken has been rock solid with a 91.96 save percentage and 1.99 goals against average.