Ice Hockey 2020 - 2021 Discussion Thread

[phelps 6,738]

 SHL, Finals, Game #2

 

Game #2, as expected, it was once again a close, tough battle...

 

Rögle strted strong as they did in game #1, but this time they didn't make any mistake and after only 4 mins of play they even took the lead thanks to adam Tambellini...

 

They managed to keep the advantage to the first interval, but in the second period Emil Pettersson scored the game-tying goal after Växjö increased their pace to try and get the hosts in trouble.

But the tie didn't last very long because at 15:11 of the second stint Leon Bristed scored the new go-ahead goal for Rögle on a rebound in front of the home goalie.

 

In the 3rd period, despite the effort of the home team, the hosts looked in control when suddenly at 3:34 Pontus Holmberg took advantage of a really bad mistake by the Rögle goaltender and tied the match once again.

 

Then, both teams started to be worried more about not making any further mistake than building true scoring chances and the obvious consequence was going to the OT. 

In the OT, nothing special happened in the first minutes, until a shot from the blue line by Hardy Haman Aktell found a hole in Rögle's defence and ended in the top corner of their cage, giving them another win in the final series of the SHL.

 

Game #3 is scheduled for next Thursday, May 6th at 8 p.m. local time (CET) in Angelholm.

 

Växjö Lakers HC - Rögle BK 3-2 after OT (series score: 2-0)

 

Game #2 stats: https://stats.swehockey.se/Game/Events/545491

 

Highlights: https://www.shl.se/play/video/Vaxjo_Lakers_Rogle_BK-123111?provider=staylive&autoplay=1

[hckošice 13,200]

and in the season is ... not over yet

 

Poprad won today the 4th match 7-4 to keep living, The series standing is now 3-1 for Zvolen. 2nd matchball on Thursday in Zvolen.

 

Highlights from Game 4 (4th May)

 

HK POPRAD  - HKM ZVOLEN 7:4 (0:1, 4:1, 3:2)

Goals: 24. Haščák (Vandas), 25. Haščák (Skokan, Svitana), 37. Vandas (Preisinger), 37. Skokan (Haščák), 46. Bjalončík (Demo, Livingston), 55. Livingston, 59. Handlovský (Preisinger) - 18. Melancon (Nuutinen), 27. Viedenský (Bondra, Kubka), 55. Nuutinen (Meliško, McPherson), 55. Viedenský.

 

Officials: Stano, Tvrdoň - D. Konc Jr., Kacej, Penalties: 4:6 all for 2 min, + Mashinter (Poprad) 5+20 min., Power-Play Goals: 1:1, Shorthanded Goals: 0:0

 

Only 350 Allowed Attendance

 

/Series Standing: 1:3/

 

 

Poprad: Vošvrda - Hudec, Drgoň, Dalhuisen, Kramár, Brejčák, Demo - Haščák, Skokan, Svitana - Vandas, Bjalončík, Handlovský - Mashinter, Preisinger, Livingston - Tavi, Matej Paločko, Mešár - Zagrapan, Hájnik

 

Zvolen: Rahm (from 17. to 18. Trenčan) - Kotvan, Betker, Melancon, Ivan, Kubka, Hraško, Ďuriš, Meliško - Stupka, Viedenský, Bondra - Nuutinen, Mikúš, McPherson - Kolenič, Tibenský, Marcinek - Jedlička, Halama, Gubančok

 

[phelps 6,738]

 NLA, Finals, Game #2

 

Just another close battle, once again with the goaltenders as the main protagonists.

 

The first period was not the best of the series, almost nothing happened.

 

Then, in the second stint, Zug took control of the action and almost scored a shorthanded goal before finally finding the back of Geneve's net at 12:06 with a shot from the blue line deflected in front of Manzato by Dario Simion on power play.

 

At that point, Servette at least did show some pride and had a strong reaction that led to the tying goal by Noah Rod, also on power play, with less than 2 mins to be played in the 2nd period.

 

The 3rd period started with Zug scoring the game winning goal after only 3 mins...and it was a clean copy of the first goal: on power play, hard slap from the blue line by Raphael Diaz and devilish deflection by Dario Simion in front of the cage...once again, there was no chance for Manzato.

 

The final charge by the home team didn't result in anything really dangerous and Zug therefore could start celebrating the second consecutive win in the final series, which means that they are just one game shy of the 2021 league title.

 

Game #3 is scheduled for Tomorrow, Friday, May 7th at 8 p.m. local time (CET) in Zug.

 

HC Genève-Servette - EV Zug 1-2 (series score: 0-2)

 

Game #2 stats: https://www.sihf.ch/de/game-center/game/#/20211105000360

 

Highlights: http://tv.sihf.ch/SmartPublish/index?clubId=BFA56684-1A6D-407D-866F-1E6E1F766281

[phelps 6,738]

 DEL, Finals, Game #2

 

Eisbären Berlin didn't surrender after game 1's home loss, and since the beginning of game 2 they showed the fighting spirit and determination they lacked a bit in the first chapter of the DEL finals.

 

Wolfsburg tried to resist and stop the charge by the men from the Capital, but before the end of the first period they had to surrender the opening goal of the game, scored by Frank Hordler.

 

In the second period, instead of the home team's reaction, there was a furious start by Berlin, which led quite quickly to 2 more goals (Ryan McKiernan and Sebastian Streu).

 

The game at this point was basically over, despite the effort by Wolfsburg to cut the distance down to 2 just before the 2nd interval.

 

The hosts then controlled the game quite easily in the final period, before ending in style with the empty netter by Lukas Reichel that froze the final score at 4-1 for the Eisbären.

 

This means that the series is tied at 1 apiece and that tomorrow we will have the final showdown to determine the 2021 DEL champions.

 

Game #3 is scheduled for Tomorrow, Friday, May 7th at 7.15 p.m. local time (CET) in Berlin.

 

Grizzlys Wolfsburg - Eisbären Berlin 1-4 (series score: 1-1)

 

Game #2 stats: https://www.penny-del.org/event/grizzlys-wolfsburg-eisbaeren-berlin/7459

 

Highlights: https://www.magentasport.de/event/grizzlys-wolfsburg-eisbaeren-berlin/690466/289915

[hckošice 13,200]

HKM Zvolen is the new National Champion 2020/21 winning its 3rd Title

 

 

 

Highlights from Game 5 (6th May)

 

HKM Zvolen – HK Poprad 3:2 (1:1, 1:0, 1:1)

Goals: 9. McPherson (Nuutinen, J. Mikúš), 33. R. Bondra (McPherson, Hraško), 55. McPherson (Betker) – 10. Bjalončík (D. Brejčák, Vandas), 59. Livingston (P. Svitana, Haščák).

 

Officials: D. Konc Sr., M. Novák – Kacej, Synek, Penalties: 5:4 all for 2 min., + 28. Mashinter 5+20 min., 58. Skokan 10+20 (both Poprad), Power-Play Goals: 2:0, Shorthanded Goals: 0:1,

 

Only 512 allowed attendance.

 

Zvolen: Rahm – Kotvan, Betker, Melancon, Ivan, Kubka, Hraško, Meliško – Stupka, Viedenský, R. Bondra – Nuutinen), J. Mikúš, McPherson – Gubančok, M. Halama, Jedlička – Kolenič, Tibenský, Marcinek

 

Poprad: Vošvrda – Kramár, D. Brejčák, Demo, Dalhuisen, Ulrych, Marek Hudec – P. Svitana, Skokan, Haščák – Handlovský, Preisinger, Vandas – Livingston, Bjalončík, Tavi – Mešár, Matej Paločko, Mashinter – Zagrapan

 

/Final Series Standing 4:1, Zvolen/

 

 

 

[hckošice 13,200]

Highlights of the last game added

 

what a match it was

[phelps 6,738]

 DEL, Finals, Game #3

 

the Eisbären Berlin are the German Champions 2021! 

 

Earlier tonight, the team from the German Capital overturned the series' score by winning the decisive 3rd game at home and winning another title...

 

It was quite a strange match, with all the important things happening very early...

 

After the first 2 minutes and 14 seconds the score was already 1-1, but then nothing else happened in the 1st stint.

 

The championship winning goal came after only 3 mins in the 2nd period, thanks to Leonard Pfoderl.

 

From that moment on, it was only a tough, close battle dominated more by fear to lose than the true desire to win and with Wolfsburg unable to put enough pressure on Berlin's defense.

 

And when the final whistle was blown, it was time for Berlin to start the party...

 

Eisbären Berlin - Grizzlys Wolfsburg 2-1 (series score: 2-1)

 

Game #3 stats: https://www.penny-del.org/event/eisbaeren-berlin-grizzlys-wolfsburg/7462

 

Highlights: https://www.penny-del.org/video/eisbaeren-berlin-grizzlys-wolfsburg-highlights/14132

[phelps 6,738]

 NLA, Finals, Game #3

 

EV Zug are the Swiss Champions 2020/2021! 

 

After a boring 1st period, where nothing really worth to be mentioned happened, EV Zug took the lead at the beginning of the second stint.

 

But Genève-Servette were not ready to give up their chances yet, and thanks to a power play goal they tied the game just a minute and a half before the second interval.

 

The start of the 3rd period saw the home team trying to score and get a new lead, but for more than 8 minutes the hosts could stop them quite easily and they even got a few chances to get the lead by themselves...until an amazing counter by Gregory Hoffman allowed him to score the most important goal of the year.

 

Then, a goal scored by Carl Klingberg only 20 secs after Hoffman's (and only 5 secs into a power play ) basically closed all the doors for the host team.

 

They just could do nothing to overcome the deficit and Zug did even find another couple of "cosmetic" goals to make the final score really punishing for Genève.

 

It's only the second title for the team from the Central Switzerland...and it's a truly deserved one, after they dominated the season from the start to the last second of play.

 

EV Zug - HC Genève-Servette 5-1 (series score: 3-0)

 

Game #3 stats: https://www.sihf.ch/de/game-center/game/#/20211105000360

 

Highlights: http://tv.sihf.ch/SmartPublish/index?clubId=BFA56684-1A6D-407D-866F-1E6E1F766281

[phelps 6,738]

 Liiga, Finals, Game #1 & #2

 

Black and white, day and night...

 

The first 2 games of the Finnish Liiga Finals were like that...

 

In game #1, TPS Turku won on the road without giving Lukko Rauma a chance, the, in game #2, less than 24 hours later, things went exactly the opposite, with the home team, Lukko, leaving the hosts chanceless, despite it took 35 mins to score the first (winning) goal...

 

So, the series (best-of-5) is now tied at 1 apiece.

 

Game #3 is scheduled for Tomorrow, Monday, May 10th at 4 p.m. local time (3 p.m. CET) in Turku.

 

Game #1: Lukko Rauma - TPS Turku 1-4 (series score: 0-1)

 

Game #2: Lukko Rauma - TPS Turku 4-0 (series score: 1-1)

 

Game #1 stats: https://liiga.fi/en/ottelut/2020-2021/playoffs/55521/seuranta/

 

Highlights: 

 

 

 

 

Game #2 stats: https://liiga.fi/en/ottelut/2020-2021/playoffs/55522/seuranta/

 

Highlights: 

 

 

[phelps 6,738]

 SHL, Finals, Game #3 & #4

 

The 3rd chapter of the Swedish Finals' saga was likely the most insignificant and disappointing one so far...

 

2 quick goals by the home team did address the whole game early and also the Lakers' reaction wasn't that furious and convincing, therefore Rögle could easily take the win home and shorten the distance in the series...

 

At the opposite, game #4 was played better by both teams and was also a lot closer then the previous one...

 

Växjö took the lead after about 11 minutes and controlled the rest of the opening period, but in the second stint the home team did show that desperation we already saw at the beginning of game #3 and turned the score around with a pair of goals after only 33 seconds and then at 28th minute of play...

 

But the hosts this time didn't give up and came back in the 3rd period, scoring the game-tying goal just 6 mins into the period.

 

From that moment on, the game became more and more tactical, with both teams looking to not give the opponents any real chance to score another goal.

 

Once again, the result of that attitude was to go to the OT.

 

And once again, it didn't take long for Växjö to score the game winner, thanks to the usual suspect, Pontus Holmberg, who found the net after only 1 minute of the 1st OT, giving his team a 3-1 lead, aka the first "match point", in the SHL Finals.

 

Game #5 is underway right now in Växjö (score: 1-0 for Rögle after 20 mins).

 

Game #3: Rögle BK - Växjö Lakers 5-1 (series score: 1-2)

 

Game #4: Rögle BK - Växjö Lakers 2-3 after OT (series score: 1-3)

 

Game #3 stats: https://stats.swehockey.se/Game/Events/545492

 

Highlights: https://www.shl.se/play/video/123208?provider=staylive&autoplay=1

 

Game #4 stats: https://stats.swehockey.se/Game/Events/545493

 

Highlights: https://www.shl.se/play/video/123298?provider=staylive&autoplay=1