Sunday March 3 (Round 1, Playoffs)

M.Mascitto and Kings hold strong in tightly contested battle

(4)Kings vs Red Wings(2)

In a crucial playoff elimination match between the Red Wings and the Kings, the stakes couldn’t have been higher. The tension was palpable as both sides battled through the motions of grabbing the edge. The Kings got their first on two quick goals by N.Faria and D.Lucchesi. Then, a quick swift response by A.Amaral put the Red Wings back in contention making sure that the game doesn’t get out of reach. It didn’t take long after for the Kings to pull ahead by two when N.Faria buried his second on a penalty shot. Rather than finding themselves in a deeper hole, the Red Wings had another answer thanks to A.Amaral’s second. All five goals were scored in first seventeen minutes of the game. That kind of rate suggested for plenty of more goals to come, but it didn’t quite turn out that way. Since the onus was on the Red Wings to score, the Kings made it a point to thwart the Red Wings offense and protect their lead. No matter how many times they tried to even the score, M.Mascitto stood in the way. The goaltender was no question influential as to why his side is advancing and why the Red Wings couldn’t finish when they had to. Once M.Braun added a late insurance marker, the Kings knew they were well on their way to the next round.

The Allo Mon Coco Ste Dorothee player of the game goes to Mike Mascitto of the Kings. Facing some decent shots toward him, M.Mascitto stood tall in net, frustrating the Red Wings to claw their way back into the match.

T.Scarpelli heroics seal overtime win vs depleted Bruins

(3)Bruins vs Sabres(4) O.T

From-the opening face off, it was clear that the Bruins were prepared to leave it all on the court, despite missing key components due to circumstances. At no point did the Bruins back down, even after trailing 3-1. R.Santosuosso was on a mission knowing that he had to put that extra gear in order to give his side a chance. The forward scored twice before setting up P.Petraccione for the equaliser. While their performance on the court was on full display-from playing their hearts out, A.Benedetto was also another huge reason as to why the Bruins made it to overtime. Save after save, A.Benedetto stood in the way, providing all the confidence required in order for the Bruins to cause a major upset. If the Bruins knew before the game to take the deal for an overtime game, the papers would have been signed with a bunch of lawyers to take that deal. Unfortunately, a really bad break gave the Sabres an incredible  opportunity to decide matters. M.Lallitto was having a sensational game for the Bruins by breaking plays while setting up all three goals. Then, a play behind his net resulted in a holding call that enabled T.Scarpelli to take the penalty shot. With the series hanging in the balance, T.Scarpelli waited out A.Benedetto long enough  before sliding the ball right under him. For the Bruins, it was a bitter pill to swallow after putting up a resilient fight throughout the game. As for T.Scarpelli and the Sabres, they will cherish this victory as they continue their journey in the playoffs.

The Allo Mon Coco Ste Dorothee player of the game goes to Tony Scarpelli of the Sabres. With the series on the line and all eyes on him, T.Scarpelli stepped up to the challenge, converting a critical penalty shot to secure the win for the Sabres.

Flyers soar past Kraken on late surge

(6)Flyers vs Kraken(3)

Both teams battled fiercely-from the opening draw, trading goals and momentum swings in back and forth action that kept spectators on the edge of their seats. The game remained close for much of the matchup, with neither team able to gain much of an advantage. As the clock ticked down and tensions mounted, it was the Flyers who seized control of the game with a late surge. With the contest still up for grabs, D.Fortier and M.Destounis dug deep and found another gear scoring two fairly late goals to put the Flyers up by three. Their offensive outburst stunned the Kraken and swung momentum decisively in their favour, leaving no doubt about the outcome of the game. From-M.Tzouvadakis making timely saves to the defensemen shutting down the Kraken’s offensive threats , every player on the Flyers roster played a crucial role in the teams success. While everyone did a fine job pulling their weight, its safe to say that M.Destounis was the catalyst behind making everyone around him better. The Flyers scored six times tonight with M.Destounis  being a threat all game collecting five big points.

The Allo Mon Coco Ste Dorothee player of the game goes to Marino Destounis of the Flyers. His dynamic playmaking ability coupled with his scoring touch was on full display resulting in two goals and three assists.

Wild outlast Canadiens in thriller

(5)Wild vs Canadiens(3)

For those who wanted a clash filled with tension and excitement, this one lived up to the hype. Both teams took off in their relentless pursuit in a game that featured plenty of back and forth action along with some jaw dropping saves by the net minders. The Wild did play with the slight edge however finding themselves up 4-2 at one point. But with M.Danesi responding on a wicked slap shot, the Canadiens were again a hair away-from tying the game. You knew that they would apply a ton of pressure as they so desperately sought that next goal. The problem  is that S.Sauk stood in the way. Since its playoff season, S.Sauk was dialled in more than usual that even his teammates may have complimented him for once. The Canadiens had some high end scoring chances only to keep hitting a moving brick wall unable to penetrate the committed goaltender. While the Canadiens fought valiantly till the final buzzer, they ultimately fell short in their quest for victory. In the end, it was the Wild who managed to maintain their composure in the face of adversity, capitalising on key opportunities to extend their lead and fend off the Canadiens late surge.

The Allo Mon Coco Ste Dorothee player of the game goes to Scott Sauk of the Wild. His positioning and ability to read the play frustrated the Canadiens onslaught, denying them crucial scoring opportunities and keeping the Wild in control of the game.

As the final buzzer sounded tonight, marking the end of Round 1, teams and fans are already looking ahead to the excitement of the quarter finals. With each game of round 1 delivering its share of drama and intensity, the stage is now set for the next phase of the championship run. The top four seeded teams will now take to the court against tonight’s winners. The match ups are as follows:

(1)Predators vs Sabres(11) Led by their well rounded roster and formidable depth, the Predators are no question the team to beat right now. The Predators regular season speaks to itself as they look to continue furthering their quest into the playoffs. While the Predators know what to do by simply playing their game, its up to the Sabres to find solutions on how to knock out the favourites. They did overcome some adversity after defeating the Bruins as they’ll now rely on their grit and determination to disrupt the Predators game plan and capitalise on scoring opportunities.

(2)Blackhawks vs Flyers(8)The Blackhawks enter the quarter finals as a force to be reckoned with, boasting a potent combination of offensive fire power and defensive prowess. Led by some established leadership material in E.Allen along with a dynamic playmaker in D.Greco, the Flyers may want to pay close attention on how to approach their opponent. That being said, the other side of it applies as well with M.Destounis  leading the charge up front for the Flyers. This series will rely on strategy on how to contain and play certain players. If both sides follow their assignments, odds are that the Blackhawks will prevail. It will depend on how Pat Santullo of the Flyers gets his troops to play. The GM has fried bigger fish in the past and this match up may be no different.

(3)Panthers vs Wild(7) The Wild look to enter this match up with some confidence after a grinding first round victory. They know who to watch for and apply a strict game plan in order to slow down major threats such as M.Chenier and M.Kardum. If both players can be neutralised, and B.Verducci doesn’t steal the show in net, the Wild could advance. Since the Panthers know what to expect, they’ll find a way to adjust and exploit their opponents weaknesses. This is a series that can easily go either way.

(4)Islanders vs Kings(5) The Kings, fresh off a hard fought victory in the first round, are poised to build on their momentum as they face off against the Islanders. With a combination of a decent offense and solid defense, the Kings will look to impose their will on the court and advance to the next round. On the other side, the Islanders will enter this round confident after a successful regular season. Armed with a relentless work ethic and a never say die attitude , the Islanders will be eager to start their playoff journey with a statement win over the Kings.