Laine, Barkov back to work after winging it in contest
HELSINKI Before the puck drops at the 2018 Global Games, Patrik Laine will already have a leg up on Finnish countryman Aleksander Barkov.
Laine was the victor in an unofficial chicken wing eating contest earlier this week.
“I think that’s one point for me and it’s 1-0,” said Laine. “But he said he wasn’t that hungry, so I don’t consider that as a win.”
The Winnipeg Jets and Florida Panthers play on Thursday.
Laine was asked later if there was any temptation to try to put on a show for the local fans during the two-game Global Series at Hartwall Arena?
“There are points on the line and that’s why we’re here. That’s all that matters,” Laine said. “It’s a business trip and now the fun part is over. Game day is just a normal day. It doesn’t matter if we play in Winnipeg or we play here, it’s the same type of game and we need to do everything as well as we can to get those points.”
Barkov admits that Laine is the more popular of the two, but he’s doing what he can to try to bridge the gap.
“I’ll try my best,” said Barkov. “I know there are a lot of young kids who probably didn’t see me play in Finland when I left already and Laine won everything he could win and scoring goals and the way he is. He’s just a really popular guy here in Finland.
“He’s a really good guy, a fun guy to be around. So I don’t really care him being more popular than me. But of course I want to win those games and I want to score more goals than him but we’ll see.”