Option 2

I love how Baltimore and Ekaterina are playing their best hockey right now. It’s also fun to see how teams are trying to counter our lines because all three have amazing players. Valieva is usually an okay tournament or playoff player. She has never played for a point per game in the playoffs, displaying a rather weak defensive game even though that is her specialty. Now, Ekaterina is playing a role that she is not used to. After a season where she contributed to the defensive aspects of the game, the Liebold sandwich line is playing a much more offensive role. Valieva is scoring a lot. She’s third in goals and second in points, without playing on the power play. She’s used a lot on the penalty kill, and BAP’s stats are weaker than usual, but still able to contribute on the 5v5. Will she be able to keep up the level of play throughout all of the playoffs? I have no idea, but it’s fun to see Ekaterina making the difference in important games right now.