Sunday February 25

Wild change gear after trading early blows with the Flyers

(6)Flyers vs Wild(10)

The pattern of the Flyers jumping ahead and the Wild responding repeated itself four straight times.  Each time the Flyers seemed to gain the upper hand, the Wild found another gear, refusing to let their opponent dictate the game. Then, in a dramatic turn of events, the Wild launched into a massive surge that shifted the momentum in their favour. The scoring was widely spread out with nobody in particular influencing the game. The Wild’s pressure and unwavering determination left the Flyers reeling. The offense dried up for well over 25 minutes after a productive start. Whatever the Wild did to tighten the bolts worked. Clearly, B.Mourad played a major role as the net minder took care of his cage on some spectacular saves. On the offensive end, L.Katsifolis and C.Decotis shared two goals apiece while S.Kalaydjian had an average game for his standards collecting four points.

The Allo Mon Coco Ste Dorothee player of the game goes to L.Katsifolis of the Wild. Whether he was lighting the lamp himself or setting up his teammates for success, he proved to be a driving force behind his teams performance.

Red Wings hold off Kraken in nail biter

(5)Kraken vs Red Wings(7)

Momentum swung back and forth between the two teams throughout the game, with each side refusing to relent in pursuit of victory.  The two sides traded blows-from the opening face off, with neither team able to establish a definitive advantage. Goals came fast and furious as both squads displayed their offensive fire power , thrilling the fans with their skill and determination. However, the Red Wings had other plans as they upped the ante pulling ahead 5-3 at one point. Still, nothing was set in stone as the Kraken battled back to level on two very quick goals. With the game deadlocked and tensions running high, M.Papadakis unleashed a shot that caught everyone off guard, including B.Verducci. The Red Wings knew they weren’t out of the woods for how wild this tilt was. They did manage to get that next tally by A.Farina which provided the insurance needed for a game that was to unpredictable. Now that they jumped ahead to another two goal lead, R.Ranieri knew that it was his time to shine. And to his credit, the net minder pushed aside everything his way in order to preserve the win.

The Allo Mon Coco Ste Dorothee player of the game goes to Mary Papadakis of the Red Wings. As the game reached its climax with neither team willing to concede, M.Papadakis found herself in the right place to make the difference.

Sabres rally as Bruins collapse late

(3)Bruins vs Sabres(6)

In a captivating clash, the Bruins and Sabres delivered a game filled with excitement and suspense-from start to finish. For a good chunk of the game, the Sabres led slightly unable to create a significant gap. Eventually, the tables turned when Marie Eve put the Bruins in front for the first time of the contest. Her goal came with about 13 minutes to go. Although plenty of time left over, this game was being played with caution backed by two solid net minders. A.Benedetto was sharp reading the play which enabled him to flash the leather on several occasions for the Bruins. On the flip side of the court, R.Testa was equally impressive keeping the game honest knowing that his side had a chance of bouncing back. As the clock started to click away, the Sabres launched a furious counterattack with relentless pressure that eventually got paid off. All it took was a three and a half minute span to flip the script in their favour. Once S.Roumeliotis posted his second to tie the game, M.DeSua and C.Khoury followed up moments later to snatch victory-from the Bruins grasp and secure a thrilling 5-3 win.

The Allo Mon Coco Ste Dorothee player of the game goes to S.Roumeliotis of the Sabres. With two goals and an assist to his name, S.Roumeliotis was the spark the Sabres needed in order to roll past the Bruins on Sunday night.

Cimenelli’s five goals lead the charge for Predators against Panthers

(7)Predators vs Panthers(6)

M.Cimenelli emerged as a scoring machine for the Predators, taking shots that had eyes giving the net minder fits every time he would wind up. The Predators were able to set the tempo of the game constantly playing ahead which forced the Panthers to play catch up the entire time. Things appeared to be bleak when the Predators pulled ahead 7-4 past the 35 minutes mark. Trailing behind, the Panthers managed to net two late goals by T.Longhi and J.Terrigno, and nearly got their if M.Kardum didn’t hit the post very late in the game. M.Kardum was a driving force for his side bagging a hat trick and an assist causing most of the problems for the Predators defence. Maybe a few extra seconds could have turned the tide. Instead, the Predators played the lead to their advantage and ran out the clock to secure a hard fought victory. J.Bergola had a hand in the result collecting four points while J.Brizzi wasn’t far behind with three points.

The Allo Mon Coco Ste Dorothee player of the game goes to Marc Cimenelli of the Predators. His performance was nothing short of spectacular. His ability to find the back of the net with precision and consistency proved to be to much for the Panthers to handle.

Blackhawks triumph in electric showdown with the Islanders

(6)Islanders vs Blackhawks( 8 )

The game began with a flurry of scoring as both teams wasted no time in finding the back of the net.  The two sides exchanged goals in rapid succession , thrilling the crowd with their fast pace and dynamic play.  For a decent stretch, the Islanders kept grabbing a one goal lead, but the Blackhawks seemed to have an answer every single time. D.Greco shined throughout most of the match using his speed and agility to outmanoeuvre his opponents and generate scoring opportunities for his teammates. Five straight goals came through either his passing or his finish with Z.Giosi benefiting twice. Once E.Allen buried his second to pull the Blackhawks ahead, the Islanders couldn’t bounce back to turn the tide. M.Scarpetta and G.Santacroce did their fair share in the loss bagging two goals each. The Blackhawks triumph was a testament to their resilience and determination, as they weathered the Islanders relentless attacks ,and emerged victorious in a thrilling contest just prior to the playoff season.

The Allo Mon Coco Ste Dorothee player of the game goes to Daniel Greco of the Blackhawks. His ability to create constant chances put the Islanders on high alert. Despite being aware of his presence, D.Greco still got his way producing five points.

Kings roll past Canadiens behind M.Braun’s whopping 4 goals

( 8 )Kings vs Canadiens(4)

In a one sided affair, the Kings asserted their dominance over the Canadiens, building a substantial lead en route to an easy victory. From-the opening faceoff, it was clear that Kings meant business as they wasted no time in taking control of the game. Led by a stellar performance- from M.Braun, who notched an incredible four goals, the Kings offense was firing on all cylinders throughout the matchup. His scoring was on full display as he repeatedly found the back of the net with precision and skill, leaving the Canadiens defence scrambling to contain him. As bad as it got, the Canadiens had their moments after trailing 6-1. The games next three goals came-from the trailing side which helped make the score line look a lot more respectable. As they carried that momentum , the Kings made sure to end it on the next response by G.Papadakis. The Kings would then add an insurance marker to cap off their regular season on a high note. He didn’t score, but N.Lobasso was the catalyst behind setting up five of his clubs eight goals.

The Allo Mon Coco Ste Dorothee player of the game goes to Mike Braun of the Kings. His four goal output was instrumental for his clubs success. The skilled forward led the charge and set the tone for his teams dominant display on the court.

As the dust settles on the Sunday Draft Division regular season , teams are gearing up for the next chapter in their playoff journey. With the final games played and standings locked in, anticipation is building for the upcoming playoffs. The top four seeds will get an automatic pass to the quarter finals. The fifth place seed up until the twelfth spot will play an extra round starting  on March 3^rd. The match ups are as follows:

(1)Predators     first round bye

(2)Blackhawks first round bye

(3)Panthers      first round bye

(4)Islanders      first round bye

(5)Kings vs Red Wings(12) The Red Wings may not have the regular season stats to back themselves up, but that wont suggest that they cant prove the odds makers wrong. Often its how you played your last game as a good reference point moving forward. Since both the Kings and Red Wings finished off their season with wins, anything can happen when two sides are determined to win.

(6)Bruins vs Sabres(11) Both these teams just finished playing each other, and the Sabres were the ones who came out on top. However, it took a very late surge in order for the Sabres to prevail. If the Bruins can get their offense going a little more, than they’ll be tough out. If not, expect the Sabres to advance in this one.

(7)Wild vs Canadiens(10) The well seasoned Wild will take on the speedy Canadiens in what should live up to the hype. Known for their tactical prowess, the Wild will be strategic on how to slow down perhaps a quicker side. The lead will be important in this match up as the Wild look to play ahead rather than chase the game. If the Canadiens can pull ahead and play it smart, than they’ll have a good shot at knocking out the Wild.

(8)Flyers vs Kraken(9) It’s a series that will come down to momentum swings, individual efforts and most important goaltending. The two net minders have the experience and pedigree to win the big games. Since that area is a wash, each team will need to rely on their strengths to shine and hope to get the right bounces.