2016 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Review: (M2) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (M3) New York Rangers

When one window opens, another one closes. Pittsburgh was the more dominant team in the series, and they had to rely on their second- and third-string goalies. When they scored, they scored, finding the net five-plus times in three of the games. For New York, it looked like the start of a decline, with an aging core and Lundqvist looking human at times (he was pulled in three of the five games). Pittsburgh rolled through New York, eliminating them in five games.

Games

New York Rangers 2 - Pittsburgh Penguins 5

Jeff Zatkoff (who was in for the injured Marc-Andre Fleury) was tested early by the Rangers, but managed to turn aside what he faced. The Penguins would get a break though, as Viktor Stalberg was called for hooking. The powerplay wasn't a productive one for the Penguins, as the Rangers killed it off. Minute later, Stalberg was called to the box again (this time for hitting to the head). The Rangers killed that one as well, then got a powerplay of their own, as Eric Fehr was giving two minutes for giving Henrik Lundqvist a snow shower. Pittsburgh might have had the best chance though, as Carl Hagelin tipped Kris Letang's point shot, but it missed the net. The Penguins started picking up their play, but it didn't have any immediate result. New York got a scare near the end of the period, as the blade of Marc Staal got past Lundqvist's cage and poked him in the eye. It took couple minutes, but Lundqvist would recover and stay in for the rest of the period. It may not have been a good idea, as Patric Hornqvist scored in the dying seconds of the period. Pittsburgh headed into the intermission up 1-0. Antti Raanta went in to replace Lundqvist at the start of the second period. It got worst early on, as just nine seconds in Chris Krieder was called for interference. Pittsburgh's powerplay still could not get anything going, as they were 0 for 3 so far on the man advantage. Both teams exchanged powerplay midway through the period (first the Penguins, then the Rangers). While both were better than previous attempts, neither could find the back of the net. It was late in the period when once again Pittsburgh struck. Hornqvist found an open Crosby in the neutral zone, and he was off to the races. He skated until he was between the hash marks before snapping it past Raanta's glove. The Penguins ended the second period up 2-0. The Rangers came out firing in the third period, and while they did not get a goal right away, they did managed to draw two penalties. The 5-on-3 was beneficial for New York, as Derek Stepan finished off a tic-tac-toe play to put the Rangers on the board. The celebration was short-lived though, as Mick Bonino and Tom Kuhnhackl connected on a shorthanded 2-on-1, restoring the two-goal lead. There would be a few minutes of 5-on-5 until the next penalty was called. This time, it was in favour of the Penguins, as Eric Staal was called for goalie interference. The Pittsburgh powerplay finally converted on an opportunity, as Hornqvist poked home his second of the game. The goal was reviewed, but it stood, making it 4-1 for the Penguins. The Rangers didn't go away just yet, as minutes later Stepan tucked home a rebound for his second of the game. Outside of one good shift, New York's offense didn't manage much. Hornqvist scored an empty netter to complete his hat trick. Pittsburgh won 5-2 and took a 1-0 lead in the series.

New York Rangers 4 - Pittsburgh Penguins 2

This game was Evgeni Malkin's first in a while. The game took a few minutes to pick up, but once it did, it was back-and-forth. Derek Stepan had the best chance, getting on a semi-breakaway, but Zatkoff was there to make the save. The Rangers put on the pressure midway through the period, but could not find the back of the net. The Penguins' chances were more spaced out, but had the same result (nothing). Kevin Hayes took a penalty for slashing later in the period, but Pittsburgh couldn't do anything with it. The period ended with a tussle, as Hornqvist and Mats Zuccarello were sent off for roughing after getting tangled up. No goals happened in the first 20 minutes of play. The second period started with 4-on-4 play. Off the opening faceoff, Rick Nash took the loose puck and went in on a breakaway. Zatkoff stood tall though, stopping the shot. Just after Zuccarello left the box, he would go right back in, getting called for hooking this time. It was what the Penguins needed to open the scoring. A great defensive play by Hornqvist led to an odd-man rush the other way. Bonino, Trevor Daley, and Kessel played tic-tac-toe, with Kessel finishing it. The Rangers started to pick up their play midway through the period, leading to a powerplay. Brain Dumoulin's hooking penalty gave the Rangers their first man advantage of the game. New York didn't score on the powerplay, but it wasn't long after that they scored their first of the game.  J.T. Miller's centering pass found an open Keith Yandle, who beat Zatkoff before he fully slid over. Just 18 seconds later, Brassard scored on a breakaway to put New York in the lead. It was challenged as Brassard looked offside on the play, but the linesmen concluded that wasn't the case. The goal stood, making it 2-1 Rangers. New York kept up their play, resulting in another powerplay. Bryan Rust was called for interference, making the Penguins shorthanded again. The Penguins killed the penalty, then sprung Rust on a breakaway when he left the box. He would be stopped by Lundqvist. The Rangers would get another goal later in the period. Miller fed a cross-ice pass to Zuccarello, who wasted no time putting the puck into the net. Pittsburgh got a powerplay late in the period, but failed to score on it. The second period was more eventful, as New York ended the period up 3-1. It didn't take long for the Rangers to strike in the third. A turnover near the Penguins net led to Kreider beating Zatkoff to make it 4-1 Rangers. Pittsburgh started to turn the play in their favour. It looked bad when Crosby was called for slashing, but that was negated when Kreider went off seconds later for goalie interference. Less than a minute later, Yandle was called for cross checking, making it a 4-on-3 for the Penguins. Once again, Kessel finished off a tic-tac-toe play, resulting in his second goal of the game. Things got heated midway through the period. A bad slash by Kunitz on Marc Staal led to Kevin Klein jumping in and fighting Kunitz. Both got a two and a five minute penalty, negating any powerplay that might have occurred. Pittsburgh pressed on the rest of the way, but New York would not give up anything. New York won 4-2, tying the series at 1-1.

Pittsburgh Penguins 3 - New York Rangers 1

Pittsburgh made a change in goal before the game, as Matt Murray would get his first taste of NHL playoff action. The Penguins came out buzzing, looking to strike first. They had plenty of attempts early on, but nothing to show for it. It was also heated early, with Malkin and Brady Skjei getting into a pushing match. Pittsburgh got the first powerplay of the game halfway through the period, as Marc Staal was called for tripping. Just before the powerplay was over, Connor Sheary was called for a double-minor high-stick. 4-on-4 would wind down, and New York would go on a powerplay. They scored early on the powerplay, as Kreider finished off his own rebound. Pittsburgh would challenge the play though, as it looked like New York entered the zone offside. It was determined that Miller's skate was off the ice on the point of entry, resulting in the goal getting called back and the game going back to 0-0. The Penguins killed off the remainder of their penalty. Tempers picked up late in the period. A hit by Kunitz on Hayes led to both of them getting tangled up and a scrum ensuing. Kunitz, Letang, Hayes, and Stalberg all received roughing penalties. Play resumed at 5-on-5. The Rangers had a late push, but came up empty. The first period ended with the game tied 0-0. It didn't take long for the Rangers to get penalized in the second, as Krieder headed to the box for boarding. Seconds later, the Rangers scored the opening goal. Nash went down the wing alone and snapped on over Murray's shoulder before Letang could get him. New York had their first actual goal of the game, making it a 1-0 game. The Rangers killed off their penalty, then received a powerplay minutes later, as Daley went off for tripping. They could not do much on the man advantage though, only registering one shot on net. The Rangers got another powerplay chance when Malkin was sent off for tripping, but again could not find the back of the net. The Penguins started to press, looking to tie the game. They would get rewarded with a powerplay late in the period when Marc Staal was called for hooking. It didn't take long for the Penguins to capitalize on it, as Kessel's pass deflected off Crosby and into the net. The second period ended as a 1-1 tie. Play was relatively even in the early going, as both teams looked for the go-ahead goal. Four minutes into the game, Matt Cullen ended up on a breakaway. He made good on the attempt, going five-hole on Lundqvist to put the Penguins in the lead. Both teams kept at it, with chances getting exchanged. The Rangers pulled Lundqvist for an extra attacker late, but it was no use. Letang scored on the empty net to cap the game. The 3-1 win gave Pittsburgh a 2-1 series lead.

Pittsburgh Penguins 5 - New York Rangers 0

It did not take long for Pittsburgh to open the scoring in this one. Ben Lovejoy's point shot was stopped, but Eric Fehr skated in and banged home the rebound to put the Penguins up 1-0. Pittsburgh kept up their early pressure, but Fehr's goal would be the only one. New York took the first penalty of the game, with Nash heading to the box for interference. It would be costly for them. Malkin's point shot was deflected by Crosby and skipped past Lundqvist, making it a 2-0 game. Pittsburgh got a penalty of their own a bit later, as Hornqvist was called for interference. The Rangers could  not get much going on their powerplay. Daley and Eric Staal got into it after Daley pushed Staal into the Penguins net. It was broken up before it got real heated, and both received minor penalties. The Rangers outplayed the Penguins on the 4-on-4, but had nothing to show for it. Just as Daley come out of the box, he would go right back in, this time for hooking Stalberg. Once again, New York's powerplay went goalless. A solo effort by Sheary led to the next Penguins goal. Sheary blocked Klein's pass, collected the loose puck, skated down the wing, and beat Lundqvist blocker-side. Malkin looked to have scored seconds later, but it was called off due to goalie interference. New York got a great chance to get on the board late in the period, with Eric Staal wasted no time throwing a rebound at the net. Unfortunately for him, Murray slid over in time to deflect it away from harm. Pittsburgh ended the first period up 3-0. An early penalty in the second made things harder for the Rangers, as Dominic Moore was called for holding. Just seconds into the powerplay, Malkin blasted one from the point, making it 4-0 for the Penguins. Lundqvist stayed in for a couple more minutes, but was eventually pulled for Raanta. It was at a bad time too, as seconds later Tanner Glass was called for a double-minor high-stick. Pittsburgh got close, but could not score on the four-minute opportunity. The Rangers caught a break minutes after, as Lovejoy was penalized for holding the stick. They had a few shots, but Murray was there to stop them. The Penguins had a bit of a rush late in the period, getting a handful of shots. The score remained the same though, as the second period ended 4-0 in Pittsburgh's favour. New York pressed early in the third, but their offense was stymied. The Ranger's momentum stopped when Miller was called for slashing. The Penguins powerplay was at it again, as Malkin scored his second of the game. New York started to take over the game, desperately looking for something. Murray would not give in though, stopping whatever got through to him. Murray stopped a total of 31 shots in the game, as Pittsburgh shut out the Rangers 5-0.

New York Rangers 3 - Pittsburgh Penguins 6

New York looked to fend off elimination, starting with some early pressure. Their efforts would get rewarded. Girardi's point shot was tipped by Nash and found the back of the net (Murray got a piece of the shot, but it wasn't enough). The Rangers continued to pressure, wanting to expand their lead. It ended up being the Penguins who scored the next goal. Carl Hagelin re-directed a pass from Kessel into the Rangers net, tying the game. This kicked off a mini-flurry of goals. Just 45 seconds later, a loose puck went off Hornqvist's skate and hit Moore on its way past Murray. Pittsburgh got a powerplay seconds later, and took full advantage of it. Less than a minute into the man advantage, Kessel raced down the wing and snapped a shot that hit Lundqvist's stick and went into the net. New York got a powerplay of its own minutes later, but could not do anything with it. Tension between Letang and Nash heated up later in the period, as both would be sent off for slashing. The Penguins had a late rush to end the period, but the game remained tied 2-2 after 20 minutes. Scoeing in the second period happened just over five minutes in, as Bryan Rust was open at the side of the net and beat a diving Lundqvist. It got worst for the Rangers midway through the period. Pressure by Rust caused Brassard to lose the puck. Matt Cullen collected the puck and proceeded to beat Lundqvist glove-side. A minute later, Moore was called for roughing, putting Pittsburgh on the powerplay. New York managed to kill it off though. A bit later, it was the Rangers on the powerplay, as Sheary was called for high-sticking. New York could not capitalize on the man advantage. Seconds after stepping out of the box, Sheary received a pass from Crosby and wired a wrister past Lundqvist. Pittsburgh scored once more before the period expired, as Rust finished off a 2-on-1. Pittsburgh ended the second period up 6-2. That spelled the end for Lundqvist, as for the third time in this series Raanta would take in net. The third period was all New York, as they desperately looked to keep this series alive. A couple minutes into the third, Murray would get called for tripping. He'd then let up a goal on the powerplay he created for New York, as Kreider tipped a point shot over Murray's shoulder. That was the only blemish for Murray in that period, as he was solid the rest of the way. Pittsburgh held on to win the game 6-3. The win was the Penguins fourth of the series, meaning they get to move on to the next round.

Three Thoughts on the Series

1. The New York Post can be ruthless, just ask Lundqvist.
2. Speaking of Lundqvist, I don't get why they didn't pull him after getting a stick to the eye. Probably a better chance of Raanta escaping the period without letting up a goal.
3. It's not unreasonable to think Murray could be the next rookie goalie to lead his team to the Cup.  

Picture of the Series

"Pssst, hey Marc, you're taking out the wrong guy."

Highlight of the Series

This whole shift is great. From Hornqvist's defensive play to Daley-Bonino-Kessel tic-tac-toe goal.

2016 NHL Playoffs Round 2 Preview

(A2) Tampa Bay Lightning vs. (W1) New York Islanders


With Steven Stamkos out, the Lightning have their youth leading the way. Nikita Kucherov leads the team in points, while Tyler Johnson and Alex Killorn are averaging at least a point-per-game. Even Johnathan Drouin is thriving after it looked like he would not be in Tampa Bay's future plans. Victor Hedman and co. are still good enough defensively, but they definitely miss Anton Stralman. Ben Bishop has been good in net for the Lightning. For the Islanders, it's been John Tavares, John Tavares, and John Tavares. He leads the playoffs with 11 points, while the next closest teammate is Kyle Okposo with seven. Their defense has been ok, but does need to pick it up for this round. Goaltending has been a question. Jaroslav Halak is still injured, putting Thomas Greiss in the spotlight. Greiss, for his part, played well for the Islanders last round, but will need to be better against the other Florida team. As dominant as Tavares' line can be, the rest of the team had trouble against the Panthers. The Lightning's depth is better than their state rivals, and I can see them causing even more trouble for the Islanders. Tampa Bay in six.


(M1) Washington Capitals vs. (M2) Pittsburgh Penguins

Yes! Crosby vs. Ovechkin! (and this time it's wanted and not forced down our throats). This is the second time these two have ever met in the playoffs, and funny enough, last time was a second round matchup as well. For the Penguins, Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel have also helped the Penguins offensively, while Kris Letang and co. hold up the defensive end. The question will be in goal. Marc-Andre Fleury is still out with a concussion, putting the weight on Matt Murray and Jeff Zatkoff to carry the team in net. Murray will carry the load to start the series, as he comes off a pretty good performance in round one (earning three wins and a shutout). He does have the potential to pull a Dryden and be the rookie netminder who leads his team to victory. The Capitals side is the most loaded it's ever been. Ovi aside, Nicklas Backstrom and Evgeni Kuznestov (granted, he didn't have a good series last round) have made a nice one-two punch at centre. Marcus Johansson and T.J. Oshie chip in from the wing. The defense is headlined by John Carlson, who's having a pretty good playoffs so far. Braden Holtby has been a rock in the Capital's net, giving them the goaltending they desperately needed for years. Everything seems to lean Washington's way, but this is still a demon they need to conquer, as they have not been to the third round in the Ovi years. Pittsburgh in seven (although I wouldn't mind Washington advancing either).


(C1) Dallas Stars vs. (C2) St. Louis Blues

This matchup features two polar opposite styles. Dallas is a high-flying attack team, relying on offensive weapons like Benn, Seguin, and Spezza to outscore their opponent. Not like St. Louis though, as they play a more defensive game, headlined by Alex Pietrangelo and Kevin Shattenkirk on the blueline and Brian Elliot in net. Looking at the flip-side of each team's coin, the Blues are much better off than the Stars. St. Louis does have weapons on offensive, most notably 40-goal scorer Vladimir Tarasenko. For Dallas, their backend has been atrocious. Goaltending is another story, as Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi have split duties, with neither of them playing well enough to claim being number one. The big news of this series though, is who's behind the benches. Ken Hitchcock (St. Louis) and Lindy Ruff (Dallas) square off against each other for the first time since the 1999 Stanley Cup Final. If this series doesn't end on a controversial call then it'll be disappointing. St. Louis in six.


(P3) San Jose Sharks vs. (W1) Nashville Predators

The series of surprises. Granted, San Jose might not be a big one as they are a really good team, but they had to slay a playoff demon to get this far. Nashville stunned Anaheim, taking them to seven games and winning in the do-or-die matchup. San Jose looks like the team they should be, with Joe Pavelski and Brent Burns being the core leading the team while Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau still contribute plenty to the offense. Martin Jones looks like the goalie the team has been missing for a while, as he outdueled his mentor last series. Nashville was a complete surprise, as they took a good Anaheim team to seven games, and winning in the do-or-die game. Their offense isn't as heavy with names (as proven with Colin Wilson leading the team), but guys like Filip Forsberg, James Neal, and Ryan Johansen can pick it up. Shea Weber and Roman Josi highlight a defense that's pretty solid (not as much in previous years, but still good). Pekke Rinne has shown flashes of his old self last round, but will need to be more consistent this time. The Sharks seem like they would be too much for the Predators, but I also thought that of the Ducks too. Still, I'm hopping on the bandwagon. San Jose in six.

2016 NHL Stanley Cup Playoff Predictions - Round 2

Round Two has already started (THANKS NHL!), so our predictions (and my review later) will be a bit late.

Eastern Conference

(A2) Tampa Bay Lightning vs. (W1) New York Islanders

Brad: Tampa Bay Lightning
MDK: New York Islanders

(M1) Washington Capitals vs. (M2) Pittsburgh Penguins

Brad: Pittsburgh Penguins
MDK: Washington Capitals

Western Conference

(C1) Dallas Stars vs. (C2) St. Louis Blues

Brad: St. Louis Blues
MDK: St. Louis Blues

(P3) San Jose Sharks vs. (W1) Nashville Predators

Brad: San Jose Sharks
MDK: Nashville Predators

After Round One

Brad: 5-3
MDK: 8-0

2016 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Review: (P2) Los Angeles Kings vs. (P3) San Jose Sharks

This series was widely acknowledge as the best series coming in, and it didn't disappoint. The only disappointment was that the series wasn't longer. It was full of storylines too. You had the Battle of California, the mentor (Jonathan Quick) vs. the student (Martin Jones) in nets, and the potential for the Sharks to once again choke against the Kings. For the third point, it did look like the Sharks were doomed to repeat 2014, but in the end they managed to avoid doing so. The San Jose Sharks exorcised their playoff demons, and beat the Los Angeles Kings in five games.

Games

San Jose Sharks 4 - Los Angeles Kings 3

San Jose got the first chance of the game, but their 2-on-1 pass missed it's target. Los Angeles turned it around soon after, and ended up scoring first. Jake Muzzin's pass to the slot hit Tomas Hertl's skate and went into the net. The Kings would be handed the first penalty of the game, as Anze Kopitar went to the box for interference. It opened the door for the Sharks to tie the game. Joe Pavelski one-timed a rolling puck past Jonathan Quick, tying the game. Andre Andreoff got a breakaway chance soon after, but missed the net. The Sharks got a chance of their own soon after, as Patrick Marleau hit Melker Karlsson with a pass. Karlsson snapped it immediately, but Quick was right there to make the pad save. Vincent Lecavalier got called got hooking midway through the period, putting the Sharks back on the powerplay. This time, the Sharks powerplay could not find the back of the net. The physicality showed later in the period, highlighted by Kyle Clifford's bit hit on Tommy Wingels. The period ended with both teams tied 1-1. The Kings got a powerplay early in the second, as Marc-Eduard Vlasic was called for interference. While Lose Angeles buzzed around, they could not take advantage of it. Off an offensive zone, Brent Burns received the puck and wrist a point shot past Quick, putting San Jose in the lead. On the ensuing faceoff at centre, Joel Ward would get penalized for interference. This time, Los Angeles found the back of the net. Jeff Carter tried to pass out to the slot. The puck would deflect off Burns' stick, Paul Martin's shin, and Jones' shoulder en route to the back of the net. San Jose pressured after that, and even drew a penalty. On the delay penalty though, the Sharks were robbed of a goal, as the whistle blew before Hertl shot, negating his goal. San Jose wasn't defeated though, as they kept up the pressure on the powerplay. Drew Doughty made the save of the game on it, stacking the (shin) pads to prevent Marleau from scoring. Hooking penalties were exchanged between the two clubs, with Roman Polak going first, then Doughty minutes later. Los Angeles wasn't successful on their powerplay, but they were on their penalty kill. Trevor Lewis kept on a 2-on-1, toe-dragged Burns, and beat Jones, putting the Kings back out in front. The lead lasted 30 seconds, as Hertl banged home a loose puck to tie the game. Once again, it was deadlocked at the end of a period, with both teams tied 3-3. It didn't take long for a goal to happen in the third period. Just 17 seconds in, Pavelski scored on a wraparound attempt, and once again the Sharks were in the lead. The Kings took control after that, as they looked to tie the game. Despite this, Logan Couture had the best chance, as he deked out Quick but shot the puck wide. Clifford had the Kings best chance late, but shot the puck wide on his one-timer attempt. The Sharks hung on and won the game 4-3, putting them up 1-0 in the series.

San Jose Sharks 2 - Los Angeles Kings 1

It didn't take long for San Jose to get on the board. Three-and-a-half minutes into the period, Pavelski shot the puck over Quick's shoulder and into the net, making it 1-0 Sharks. The Kings went on the attack after that, looking to tie the game. Even with a powerplay though, Los Angeles failed to find the back of the net. San Jose got a powerplay of ther own, as Luke Schenn headed to the box for interference. They tried, but the Sharks could not extend their lead with the man advantage. San Jose had another powerplay late in the period, but again could not capitalize on it. Couture had the worst luck on the powerplay, as twice he had an open net, and twice it was blocked by Kings defenders. The first period ended with the Sharks up 1-0. The Sharks were in control for most of the early part in the second. They caught a break near the midway point, as Tyler Toffoli was called for roughing. During the delayed penalty, Lucic also committed an infraction (charging), making it a two-man advantage for San Jose once the whistle blew. The Sharks would not waste this opportunity. Pavelski's shot was stopped, but Couture was in the right spot to bury the rebound. San Jose was now up 2-0. They could not find another powerplay goal, as the Kings killed off the remaining time. Los Angeles got a powerplay of their own later on, as Matt Nieto was called for hooking. They didn't convert on it, but they still maintained control for a bit when it became even-strength. The Kings got one more powerplay before the period ended, but again failed to score. San Jose ended the second period up 2-0. The Kings started off the third well, but could not beat Jones. There was a bit of a break in play later on, as the glass was out of place and needed to be fixed. Nick Spaling was called for tripping midway trough the period, giving the Kings a powerplay. It didn't last long though, as 29 seconds later Jeff Carter was headed to the box for slashing. Los Angeles kept up their play throughout, as San Jose just looked to wind down the clock. Karlsson was called for a slash later in the period, putting the Kings on the powerplay again. Los Angeles finally broke through on it. A scramble in front of the net resulted in the puck finding Lecavalier, who had no problem beating Jones. Los Angeles had five minutes left to find a tying goal. Unfortunate for them, they could not do much in that time frame. San Jose hung on to win 2-1, taking a 2-0 series lead.

Los Angeles Kings 2 - San Jose Sharks 1 (OT)

The Sharks got off to a quick start again, this time it only too 30 seconds. Joe Thornton skated around to the high slot before releasing a shot that bounced off Brayden McNabb's skate and into the net. The night got worst for McNabb before it got better, as he was called for hooking five minutes later. The Sharks powerplay had a couple chances, but could not finish. The Kings got a powerplay soon after, as Wingels was called for hooking. It didn't take long for the Kings to capitalize on it, as Kopitar buried a pass from Lucic to tie the game.  Los Angeles found themselves back on the powerplay minutes later, as Spaling was headed to the box for tripping. The Kings didn't score on that one, but they kept up the pressure for most of the period. San Jose put on the early pressure in the second, and got a powerplay as their reward. The Sharks got a few shots on net, but that was basically it, as the powerplay expired. Nine minutes into the period, Los Angeles would record their first shot of the period when Lecavalier threw a blind pass toward the net. Marian Garborik got penalized for high sticking, putting the Sharks on the powerplay once again. The Sharks powerplay was much better this time, but again ended without a goal. Los Angeles finally came alive late in the period, and started to possess the puck more. They caught  break as well, with Chris Tierney getting penalized for a faceoff violation. The man advantage didn't help the Kings much, as the game remain tied 1-1 after the second period. It was back-and-forth between the two teams early in the third, as both looked for the go-ahead goal. A penalty midway through the period would swing the momentum. Lucic was called for slashing, allowing the Sharks the ability to work their powerplay magic. San Jose had no problem moving  the puck with the extra man, but had a problem hitting the net. The Sharks managed just one shot in nine attempts. Minutes later, the Sharks would again find themselves on the powerplay, as Tanner Pearson was called for flipping the puck over the glass. The Kings escaped unscathed again, as they had a much better time killing this penalty. Things got a bit heated late in the third between Hertl and Dustin Brown, and after wrestling each other to the ice, they were both given roughing penalties. The remaining 54 seconds in the period was played 4-on-4, and still no goals would happen. Tied 1-1 after regulation, overtime was needed to solve this game. For an overtime between these two teams, it ended quickly. Just under four minutes into the extra frame, Pearson kept the puck on a 2-on-1 and fired it past Jones. The 2-1 overtime win gave Los Angeles their first win of the series.

Los Angeles Kings 2 - San Jose Sharks 3

The first period was a tale of two halves. The first half saw the Kings get the majority of chances and outplaying the Sharks, but could not find the back of the net. The second half saw the reverse, as the Sharks were in control for most of it. Just like the Kings though, the Sharks failed to put the puck in the net. This might have been the quickest period of the series, and it ended in fitting fashion, at a 0-0 draw. The Kings found themselves on the penalty kill 30 seconds into the period, as Carter was the only one penalized after a post-whistle scrum. It was what the Sharks needed to open the scoring. Burns one-timed a pass from Ward, and beat a Quick as he was sliding over. It wasn't long until San Jose found themselves down a man. Nieto clipped Quick behind the net, causing him to get called for tripping. Los Angeles failed to score on that powerplay. It didn't take them long to get another powerplay though, as Ward made his way to the box for high-sticking. The Kings got a couple chances, but still could not solve Jones. The Sharks would get a powerplay themselves soon after, as Rob Scuderi tripped up Hertl. San Jose's powerplay showed why it's pretty good. Pavelski went to the front of the net and finished off a tic-tac-toe play, putting the Sharks up 2-0. After a few minutes, the Kings started to build an attack. It would be derailed, as the Sharks transitioned, leading to Schenn getting called for roughing. This time, Los Angeles managed to fend off San Jose's powerplay. The period ended with the Sharks up 2-0. The start of the third was much like the start of the second for the Kings. A minute-and-a-half in, Jamie McBain was called for high-sticking. It didn't take long for the Sharks to capitalize on this one. Couture's shot was blocked and went right to Marleau, who buried it. It was the Sharks third powerplay goal of the game, which made it 3-0 for them. The Kings responded soon after, as Schenn's point shot hit Lewis on it's way into the net. It was challenged, as Lewis looked to have interfered with Jones. The goal was upheld though, and Los Angeles finally got on the scoreboard. The Kings kept up the pressure, and would be reward again. Schenn's point shot skipped a few times en route to beating a screened Jones. Los Angeles looked for the tying goal, but their efforts fell short. San Jose won 3-2, and drew within a game of winning the series.

San Jose Sharks 6 - Los Angeles Kings 3

The Sharks got off to a good start. Just over a minute in, Joonas Donskoi snapped it past a screened Quick to put San Jose ahead. The Kings had a chance to response right away, but Lecavalier's chance was stopped. Los Angeles got into penalty trouble early. First, Schenn was called for inference on Hertl, then Brown was called seconds later for tripping Jones. San Jose could not convert on their chances on the powerplay though, as it remained a one-goal game. The Sharks kept up the pressure, but could not extend their lead. Play would start shifting in the Kings favour. Despite this, it was the Sharks who would get the next goal. Tierney fired a shot that hit the post and went in, making it 2-0 San Jose. Ward would get called for tripping later in the period, giving the Kings their first powerplay of the game. Los Angeles failed to get anything going on the powerplay, not even a shot on goal. The period ended with San Jose leading 2-0. Both teams came out firing in the second, with the Kings getting most of the chances. The Sharks managed to get the first goal of the period, thanks to Nieto's tapping in the puck. The Shark had an opportunity to extend that lead just over a minute later, as Marleau was hooked on a breakaway, resulting in a penalty shot. Marleau could not convert his chance though, as Quick stopped his weak backhand attempt. Los Angeles pressured, looking to get something. They would get rewarded, as Doughty's point shot deflected off Dwight King's skate and Kopitar's shin before hitting the back of the net. Four minutes later, Los Angeles struck again. Carter received a pass in the slot and proceeded to roof the puck over Jones and into the net. San Jose started to put on the heat, wanted to re-gain a two-goal lead. The next goal would be for the Kings though. Kyle Clifford rang a shot off the post and the puck bounced right to Kris Versteeg, who had no problem finishing off the play. Celebrations would be short-lived, as Lewis was called for slashing. The Kings would kill off the penalty. The second period ended with both teams tied 3-3, making for a dramatic third period. The Kings got a good chance early on in the period, but Jones managed to cover the puck before Pearson could whack away at it. It took a couple minutes for the Sharks to register a shot in the period, but that made it count. Burns tucked the puck over to Donskoi, who beat the outstretched glove of Quick. The Kings were still on the attack though, as they now had to search for a tying goal. The Sharks had a good counter attack though. Midway through the period, Pavelski skated down the wing, faked a slap shot, and wristed one by Quick. The Kings were playing desperate now, even pulling Quick for the extra attacker with four minutes remaining. Their efforts would go unrewarded. Karlsson scored on the empty net to seal the game. San Jose won 6-3, eliminating Los Angeles in five games and moving on to the second round.

Three Thoughts on the Series

1. Figures, the one time the Sharks decide to finish them off had to be only five games. Everyone wanted seven.
2. That being said, I'm hopping on the Sharks bandwagon once again (discards prediction about Kings winning series, pre-writes apology note for Sharks fans when the team loses next round).
3. Joel Ward is awesome.

Picture(s) of the Series

Vinny is expected to retire now that his team is done.

Bonus: Kings mascot Bailey trying to help a ref out.

Highlight of the Series

Donskoi helps the Sharks beat their demons, winning the series on this goal.

2016 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Review: (A2) Tampa Bay Lightning vs. (A3) Detroit Red Wings

This series was short and intense, which is a surprise for these two teams. Heading in, the Lightning were missing key pieces in Steven Stamkos and Anton Stralman. The Red Wings were healthy in comparison, but still needed to battle until the final game of the regular season to clinch a playoff spot. The series was highlighted by brawls and scrums, but it also had some drama as well. Three games had the winning goal scored in the back-half of the third period. The rematch from last year did not go as long this time, as Tampa Bay Lightning won the series in five games.

Games

Detroit Red Wings 2 - Tampa Bay Lightning 3

Game One started off with Detroit in control, but Ben Bishop made sure nothing got by him. Tampa Bay would be the one who would strike first. Nikita Kucherov wasted no time in one-timing a pass from Tyler Johnson into the back of the net, making it 1-0 for the Lightning. Tampa Bay kept the pressure for a bit, but could not extend their lead. Detroit got the first powerplay of the game midway through, as Andrej Sustr was sent to the box for tripping. That powerplay was short-lived, as Niklas Kronwall took a penalty of his own. Not much happened with the opened-up ice, as both teams eventually went back to 5-on-5. Play was pretty even the rest of the period. The end didn't go uneventfully, as Danny DeKeyser of Detroit (high-sticking) and Brian Boyle of Tampa Bay (charging) received penalties 10 seconds apart. Tampa Bay went into the first intermission up 1-0. The second period started off 4-on-4, but again both teams didn't much to show for it. Once it was in 5-on-5, Detroit turned it up. First, a won draw in the offense zone lead to Mike Green beating Bishop with a point shot. Minutes later, Justin Abdelkader deflected Kyle Quincey's point shot into the back of the net, putting Detroit in the lead. The Lightning tried to push back, but got derailed as Jonathan Drouin was penalized for roughing. The penalty would be killed though, and Tampa Bay continued to look for an equalizer. They got it a moments after the penalty, as Nikita Kucherov whacked in a rebound to tie the game. Things started heating up shortly after that. Alex Killorn up-ended Tomas Tater after the whistle, creating a line scrum (not enough to be an actual line brawl, but everyone was paired up). Six roughing minors were handed out (three for each) and play would resume. Minutes later, Detroit would go on the powerplay, thanks to Jason Garrison hooking Andreas Anthanasiou. Detroit fired away, but did not get much through, and what they did was stopped by Bishop. Tampa Bay then got a powerplay themselves after killing their own penalty. The Lightning didn't do much on that powerplay either. The period would end as both teams were tied 2-2. The third period looked to be going against Drouin. First, he was called for a cross check on Anthanasiou, which the Lightning killed off. Tampa Bay looked to have scored seven minutes into the period, as Victor Hedman one-timed a shot past Howard. However, a coach's challenge showed that Drouin was offside by a bit, resulting in the goal being called back. The Lightning rectified that minutes later, as Alex Killorn redirected Johnson's shot into the Red Wing net. Tampa Bay continued to control play, but could not find the back of the net again (even with a powerplay). Detroit pressured at the end, trying to tie the game. It was all for naught, as Tampa Bay hung on to win the game. Tampa Bay's 3-2 win gave them a 1-0 series lead.

Detroit Red Wings 2 - Tampa Bay Lightning 5

Detroit caught a break early in this game, as Alex Killorn was called for holding (there is an argument that Jonathan Ericsson of the Red Wings should have went for holding as well). The Red Wings didn't do much with the powerplay, as most of there passes back to the point missed their mark, causing them to regroup. Tampa Bay got a good chance minutes later thanks to a turnover, but Ondrej Palat could not get his stick on the puck during the return pass. Lightning would get a powerplay of their own midway through the period. Kyle Quincey was called for roughing, a penalty that saw a scrum ensue once the whistle blew. Even though they didn't score on the powerplay, Tampa Bay continued to put on the pressure. That resulted in another powerplay for them, with Gustav Nyquist getting called for slashing. That lasted 27 seconds, as Abdelkader got called for tripping, making it a two-man advantage for the Lighting. They made good on this opportunity, as Kucherov blasted a one-timer into the back of the net, making it 1-0 Lightning. Tampa Bay tried, but could not add to their lead during the remaining powerplay time. Detroit made a bit of a push to tie the game late in the period but to no avail. The Lightning were up 1-0 after 20 minutes of play. This time, the Lightning were the beneficiaries to an early period penalty. Dylan Larkin got called for hooking, putting Tampa Bay on the powerplay for the four time in the game. It might have been a good thing for the Red Wings, as moments after Larkin's penalty was over, he collected a loose puck and wrist it past Bishop to tie the game. Tampa Bay didn't deter though, and looked to regain the lead. That happened just over three minutes later, starting with a 3-on-2 rush. Drouin passed to a trailing Boyle, who proceeded to snap the puck past Howard. The tempo started to pick up, with the Lightning still in control for the most part. Midway through the period, Pavel Datsyuk got called for roughing on Victor Hedman. The penalty was served by Tomas Tater, as Datsyuk went to the dressing room to get stitched up (which created a moment of levity, as the trainer and Zetterberg went out to find Datsyuk's missing tooth). Late in the powerplay, a hit by DeKeyser on Palat sparked another scrum. Riley Shehan (Red Wings) and Drouin (Lighting) got offsetting minors, while Hedman was pegged for unsportsmanlike conduct. Not much happened on the Red Wings powerplay. It wasn't long for Hedman to be heading back to the box, as he was called for hooking seconds after getting out of the box. Once again, Detroit's powerplay was relatively quiet. The Red Wings did end up with one more powerplay in the period, and this time they got something going. It wasn't enough though, as Tampa Bay killed off their third straight penalty. The Lightning lead 2-1 after two period of play. Another period, another early penalty. This time Nikita Nesterov was called for hooking. Finally, Detroit broke through on the powerplay, as Brad Richards snapped one past a screened Bishop. The game stayed tied for all of two minutes. Killorn pulled Howard way out of position, then found Johnson in front, who had no problem tucking the puck into the wide open net. Tampa Bay found themselves back on the powerplay soon after the goal, but failed to capitalize on it. Detroit pushed for the tying goal, but could not find it. Johnson scored his second of the game, one-timing a pass from Kucherov past Howard. The Red Wings went for the early goalie pull, but all it did was give the Lightning an empty net goal. The game didn't end quietly though. A battle in front of the Tampa Bay net quickly escalated into a dog pile. Everyone (sans goalies) on the ice received a penalty of some kind, highlighted by Abdelkader's game misconduct. Penalties were eventually sorted out and the game eventually ended. Tampa Bay won 5-2 to take a 2-0 series lead.

Tampa Bay Lightning 0 - Detroit Red Wings 2

A goalie change was needed for Detroit, as Petr Mrazek took over for Howard. The Red Wings played physical at the beginning, laying a few bit hits (Brendan Smith on Cedric Paquette being the highlight of them). The ice opened up a bit, as Braydon Coburn and Darren Helm received minor penalties. Play was back-and-forth for a while, as both teams looked for the first goal of the game. Detroit eventually took control, resulting in a couple of powerplays. Tripping calls for Johnson and Palat a minute apart gave Detroit a two-man advantage. They had multiple shots, but were stopped by Bishop. Detroit pressured right up to the buzzer, but could not find the back of the net. The game remained 0-0 after 20 minutes. The Red Wings picked up where they left off, controlling the play early on. Tampa Bay got a great chance, as Mrazek was turned around after  appoint shot went wide. Erik Condra could not get enough on the attempt though, as the puck slid across the crease, missing the net. Tampa Bay once again got into some penalty trouble, starting with Sustr for hooking. Tampa Bay did get a good shorthanded chance, but was saved by Mrazek. Seconds after Sustr's penalty ended, Hedman's penalty for slashing started. Once again, the Red Wings could not convert on the man advantage. A goal would be scored in the period. Anthanasiou wired one past Bishop, giving the Red Wings a 1-0 lead. A second goal was scored five minutes later, as the puck bounced off Zetterberg's skate and into the net to extend Detroit's lead. The goal was reviewed, but it was determined that the puck was not kicked in by Zetterberg. Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper then tried a coach's challenge for goaltending interference, but it was unsuccessful in overturning the goal. Zetterberg's celebration didn't last too long, as he got called for interference a minute later. Tampa Bay could not get anything going on the powerplay. The second period ended with Detroit up 2-0. The Lightning continued with the powerplay in the third, but it was killed by the Red Wings. It got heated early in the period, as Kucherov and Helm shoved each other while going for a line change. Both received unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, making it 4-on-4 for two minutes. The intensity again picked up after the whistle, but the refs got it settled before anything really started. A bit later, Kronwall received a holding penalty, giving the Lightning a 4-on-3. That didn't last too long, as it went to being a 5-on-4 powerplay, then 4-on-4 since Johnson was called for hooking. The Red Wings got another powerplay after Johnson's was done, as Killorn was called for tripping. The Lightning would kill that penalty as well. Detroit were still buzzing, but nothing came from their chances. Datsyuk got a penalty later on in the period, but Tampa Bay didn't do much with it. They decided to pull the goalie early, hoping to get something going and break the shutout, but all that did was lead to Coburn getting a penalty. That all but sealed the Lightning's hopes of a comeback. Just liked last game, it was chippy at the end. A couple of hits for both teams accumulated in an end-of-game line brawl. It was highlighted by Boyle going after Abdelkader, then taunting him after he refused to drop his gloves.

Tampa Bay Lightning 3 - Detroit Red Wings 2

Tampa Bay came out firing, but it did not yield any goals. They did get the first powerplay of the game minutes later though, as Abdelkader was called for holding. It did not take long for the Lightning to take advantage of this opportunity. Nine seconds into the powerplay, Johnson fed Kucherov a pass, which he one-timed past Mrazek to make it 1-0 for Tampa Bay. The Lighting pressured midway through the period, getting multiple chances but unable to convert on any. Tampa Bay got another powerplay later on in the period, when Kronwall was called for hooking Palat. Detroit would kill that penalty, then get a powerplay of their own. Seconds after Kronwall stepped out of the box, Paquette was called for slashing. The Red Wings got a few shots, but none that found the back of the net. Johnson received a penalty for flipping the puck over the glass, putting the Red Wings back on the powerplay. The Red Wings could not convert in the remaining time in the period, as the Lightning headed into the intermission up 1-0. Starting the second period on the powerplay, Detroit still wasn't able to score and tie the game. Because it was a game in this series, tempers started to flair. An after-the-whistle hit by Paquette on Green started a scrum. Paquette was penalized, but so was Andersson, resulting in 4-on-4 for two minutes. Tampa Bay picked up their play later on the open ice, and kept it up after the penalties expired. This resulted in Detroit taking another penalty, this time Riley Sheahan was called for slashing. After a bit of fancy puck movement, the Lightning would score. Kucherov got a return pass from Drouin and again beat Mrazek with a one-timer. Minutes later, Paquette found himself back in the penalty box, this time for tripping. Detroit did not capitalize on the powerplay, but did score seconds after it expired. Luke Glendening's backhander from a sharp angle hit the back of the net, but he managed to bat the floating puck over to Helm, who tucked it home. Detroit's momentum stopped when Nyquist was called for goaltender interference (even though Bishop clearly embellished the contact). Detroit killed off the penalty, then struck before the end of the period. Kronwall passed to an open Nyquist in front of the net, who beat Bishop with a one-timer. The second period ended with the game tied 2-2. It took a while for any team to establish something in the third period. Detroit eventually establish control, and was rewarded for it, as Jason Garrison headed to the box for hooking. It looked like Detroit scored when Larkin lifted a backhand past Bishop, but upon replay it hit the far post. The penalty expired, and the game went back to even strength. Minutes later, Ericsson was called for cross checking, putting the Lightning on the powerplay late in the game. It was just what they needed, as Palat redirected Drouin's pass into the net, putting the Lightning up 3-2. The Red Wings pushed for an equalizer, but ran out of time. Tampa Bay won 3-2, giving them a 3-1 series lead and putting them to within a game of advancing.

Detroit Red Wings 0 - Tampa Bay Lightning 1

The game took a couple minutes to get going. It picked up for Detroit, as they got a powerplay after a bad line change caused Tampa Bay to get a too many men call. While killing that penalty, Garrison got called for cross checking. A 5-on-3 seemed like the right time for the Red Wings to get their powerplay working. It would not be the case, as the powerplay expired with little to show from the Red Wings. The Lightning got a powerplay of their own midway through the period when Nyquist was called for slashing. Tampa Bay got a few shots, but not much else, as the game stayed scoreless. Late in the period, the Lightning got another powerplay, as Kronwall headed to the box for holding. They got one shot in before time in the period expired. The first period ended with both teams unable to find the back of the net. Tampa Bay failed to get anything going for the rest of the man advantage. Minutes later, Larkin cgot called for tripping, putting Detorit down a man again. Despite this, they ended up getting more shots than Tampa Bay. Sheahan got a shorthanded breakaway, but was stopped by Bishop. Helm also got a shot, but it was stopped as well. Detroit kept up the pressure after killing the penalty, but failed to score. Tampa Bay got another powerplay opportunity midway through the second, but again could not get anything going. The Red Wings went back to being in control after killing another penalty, highlighted by Helm's breakaway attempt (which was stopped). Detroit did catch a break, as Hedman was called for holding Zetterberg. The Red Wings got a couple shots, but once again their powerplay could not get on the on the scoreboard. Both teams had moments of pressure, but could not break the deadlock. The second period ended just like the first, tied 0-0. Both teams had chances in the third, as they looked to break the deadlock. It finally happened very late in the third. Ryan Callahan threw the puck out front, where Killorn was right there to redirect the puck into the net. Tampa Bay just needed to hold on for 1:43, a task which was made harder with Garrison getting a cross checking penalty. Detroit had the net pulled for the extra attacker, but even with  two extra players, could not tie the game. Bishop stopped 34 shots, as Tampa Bay won 1-0. With the win, Tampa Bay wins the series 4-1.

Three Thoughts on the Series

1. For a team that seems level-headed and doesn't fight much, it was nice to see the Red Wings mix it up. Even Zetterberg got in on the action.
2. Speaking of Zetterberg, if this is true, then there are a lot of questions the Red Wings will need to answer this offseason.
3. Props to the game ops guy in Detroit for playing "Let It Be" during Zetterberg's goal review in Game Three.

Picture of the Series

This might have been the last of Datsyuk in the NHL.

Highlight of the Series

The brawl from Game 2. The highlight is Abdelkader going at Blunden, but an underrated part is Larkin going into the pile to pull a player off a teammate, with Callahan jumping in after Larkin.

Showing Some International Love: 2016 IIHF World Championship Review - Division II Group A

The Netherlands made sure their stay was a short one, as they went undefeated en route to a promotion back to Division I. Host Spain was on their heels though, and could have been first if they were the ones who would have scored in overtime. Belgium and Serbia tie in the standings, but the Belgians held the tie-breaker, putting them on the podium. Iceland did not have the best of tournaments, but managed to hold on to their spot in this group. China was one-and-done, going back to Group B after being promoted from their last year.

Note: Most information from the IIHF website.

Standings

Team	Wins	OTW/SOW	OTL/SOL	Losses	Points	Goal Diff.
Netherlands	4	1	0	0	14	+18
Spain	3	1	1	0	12	+8
Belgium	1	2	0	2	7	-3
Serbia	2	0	1	2	7	+2
Iceland	1	0	1	3	4	-7
China	0	0	1	4	1	-18

Results

April 9
Belgium 5 - Iceland 4 (SO)
Serbia 2 - Netherlands 3
China 0 - Spain 2

April 10
Belgium 4 - Serbia 2
Iceland 7 - China 4
Netherlands 3 - Spain 2 (OT)

April 12
Netherlands 3 - Iceland 0
Belgium 3 - China 2 (OT)
Serbia 3 - Spain 4 (SO)

April 14
China 0 - Netherlands 9
Iceland 3 - Serbia 6
Spain 4 - Belgium 1

April 15
Serbia 3 - China 0
Netherlands 6 - Belgium 2
Spain 5 - Iceland 2

Team Recap

Netherlands: The Netherlands kicked things off against Serbia. A scoreless first period gave way to plenty of goals in the second. The Netherlands scored three goals in the period, but gave up two by Serbia later in the period. The Netherlands would hang on to the lead, winning the game 3-2 in the process. Holland had a good start against Spain, outshooting them 16-4. Once again though, the Netherlands played through a scoreless period. The second was Spain's turn to control play, and ended up making good, scoring twice in the period. The Netherlands took back control in the third. Erik Tummers and Kevin Bruijsten connected twice in the period, with Tummers setting up Bruijsten both times. Tied 2-2, this game needed extra time to decide a winner. The Netherlands ended the game on their second shot of the extra frame, as Boet van Gestel found the back of the net (Tummers got an assist on the goal). The Netherlands won the game 3-2. The Netherlands was in control for the majority of the game against Iceland. This time, they managed to score in the first period. Raphael Joly and Max Hermens scored in quick succession. Holland would not strike again until late in the third, when Bruijsten added an empty netter. Sjoerd Idzenga stopped all 25 shots his faced, as the Netherlands shut out Iceland 3-0. The Netherlands kept their net puck-less against China. Julian van Lijden managed to get a hat trick, and five other Dutch players found the back of the net. Idzenga and Ruud Leeuwesteijn stopped a combined 23 shots, as Holland shut out China 9-0. Their dominance continued against Belgium. The Netherlands scored three times in the first, as they outshot Belgium 25-5. van Lijden added one more in the middle of the second period. Belgium would solve Holland's goaltending though, as they let in their first goal in ten periods. The Netherlands added two more in the third, while Belgium got one. Holland won their later game 6-2. The Netherlands ended the tournament in first place, resulting in a gold medal and a spot in Division I for next year.

Spain: The host kicked of their tournament against China. Pablo Munoz scored the first goal of the game midway through the first, putting Spain up 1-0. Spain would outplay their opponent for most of the game, but had a hard time getting another goal. Adrian Ubieto ended up getting a goal on the powerplay late in the third, extending Spain's lead. Ander Alcaine turned aside all 15 shots he faced, as Spain shut out China 2-0. Spain had a tough task next, as they went up against the Netherlands. Despite getting heavily outshot in the first, Spain escaped unscathed, ending the period tied 0-0. The second period was Spain's time to control the shot counter. They made good on a couple of them, as goals by Guillermo Betran and Juan Brabo bookended the period. The third period went back to the Netherlands, with Spain trying to hold their lead. It would not happen, Spain gave up a pair of goals in the period, resulting in a tied game after regulation. Overtime wasn't much better for Spain, with the Netherlands ending it in just over two minutes. Spain lost the game 3-2. Looking to rebound against Serbia, it did not look good for Spain. The host gave up the first goal to Serbia early in the first period. Betran scored on the powerplay early in the second period to tie the game for Spain. It lasted six minutes, as Serbia scored to take the lead again. Spain wasn't down though, and in the third managed to score twice in a two minute span to take the lead. Serbia was quick to respond, scoring to tie the game at 3-3. Eventually a shootout was needed. Patricio Fuentes was Spain's savour in the event, scoring twice in the shootout to lift the Spaniards to a 4-3 win. Spain didn't have much trouble getting on the scoreboard against Belgium in the first. Goals by Pablo Puyuelo, Fuentes, and Ignacio Solorzano put Spain up 3-0 after 20 minutes. Belgium scored in the second, but Munoz found the back of the net later in the period to restore Spain's three-goal lead. Alcaine played well in this game, stopping 27 of 28 shots. Spain held on to beat Belgium 4-1. Spain ended the tournament facing Iceland. Both teams were pretty even, as they ended the first period tied 1-1. Brabo's goal in the second put Spain in the lead, but Iceland responded soon after to tie the game again. Gaston Gonzalez scored with less than two minutes left in the period to put Spain back in the lead. That ended up being the winning goal, as Spain added two more in the third. They ended up beating Iceland 5-2. Spain finished the tournament in second place, and got to receive the silver medal in front of the home crowd.

Belgium: The Belgians kicked off the tournament facing Iceland. The early going wasn't kind to Belgium, as they gave up two goals. Yoren de Smet scored midway through the period, putting Belgium on the board. Maxime Pellegrims tied the game late in the first period. Iceland regained the lead in the second, but it didn't take long for Belgium to respond. The Belgians scored a pair of goals within two minutes of the Icelandic one, putting Belgium in the lead. They held on until late in the third, when Iceland tied the game with 23 seconds left. Overtime solved nothing, so a shootout was needed. de Smet was the lone goal scorer in the event, as Belgium won the game 5-4. Belgium got off to a good start against Serbia, as de Smet scored 49 seconds into the game. The later have of the period wasn't as good, as Serbia scored twice to take the lead. Belgium tied the game midway through the second period, thanks to Ben van den Bogaert's powerplay goal. van den Bogaert also got the go-ahead goal, scoring in the third. To cap off the scoring (and his hat trick) was van den Bogaert, as he added an empty net goal for insurance purposes. Belgium won the game 4-2. van den Bogart continued his goal scoring against China, as he found the back of the net early in the first. That held up as the lone goal until the second, when a couple of penalties gave way to a Chinese powerplay (5-on-3) goal. The game didn't stay tied for very long, as a minute later Alexandre Bremer stepped out of the box and scored. The Belgium lead didn't last long though, as China scored very early in the third period to tie the game once again. Overtime was needed to find a winner. Belgium was awarded a powerplay in the extra frame, and made use of it. Bremer scored with a second left on the man-advantage, lifting Belgium to the 3-2 victory. Belgium had a tough time against Spain, as they gave up three goals in the first period. Pellegrims would get Belgium on the board in the second, scoring six minutes into the period. Spain responded minutes later, putting Belgium back down by three goals. Belgium could not find a way back, as they ended up losing 4-1. It was the similar against the Netherlands, but this time Belgium was completely outplayed in the first period. For the second game in a row, Belgium would be down 3-0 after 20 minutes. The Netherlands added on more before Andy Kolodziejczyk scored late in the second to break the shutout. Belgium let up two more in the third, while Ben Vercammen scored late to give them their second goal of the game. That was all Belgium got, as they lost the game 6-2. Belgium ended up in third place, good enough for the bronze medal.

Serbia: The Serbians faced off against the Netherlands. The first wasn't that good for Serbia, as they took a couple penalties. They escaped unharmed though, as the game stayed 0-0. The second period was when the goals happened, starting with three unanswered by the Netherlands. Nenad Rakovic and Pavel Popravka scored late in the second to pull Serbia to within a goal. Serbia didn't do much in the third, as they ended up falling to the Netherlands 3-2. Serbia's start against Belgium was bad, as they gave up the opening goal less than a minute into the first. Serbia was better in the later half of the period, as goals by Srdjan Ristic and Marko Sretovic put them in the lead. Serbia held the lead until midway through the second, when they gave up a powerplay goal to tie the game. Belgium ended up being too much for Serbia. The Serbians gave up a pair of goals in the third, as they lost to Belgium 4-2. Against Spain, Serbia had a good start, as Popravka scored minutes into the game to put them ahead 1-0. Spain responded in the second with a powerplay goal. Rakovic scored six minutes later, restoring the lead for Serbia. A pair of goals midway through the third saw Spain take the lead for the first time in the game. It didn't take long for Serbia to tie it back up, thanks to Marko Milovanovic's goal a minute later. The game went all the way to a shootout. Spain scored early, Serbia managed to extend it, then after a few rounds Spain scored to end it. Serbia got a point but lost the game 4-3. Facing Iceland, Serbia did not have a good start. Iceland scored early, then added two more as the first period went on, as Serbia fell behind 3-0 after 20 minutes. Serbia kicked it into gear in the second, as they put up a four-spot in the period (two of them by Sretovic). The Serbians dominated the third period, adding two more to extend their lead. Serbia came back and beat Iceland 6-3. Serbia ended their tournament facing China. It took until the second period for the Serbians to get on the board. Sretovic and Rakovic both found the back of the net in the middle frame. Aleksa Lukovic added one more in the third. Arsenije Rankovic (16) and Petar Stepanovic (2) stopped all 18 shots by the Chinese, as Serbia shut them out 3-0. Serbia finished the tournament in fourth place.

Iceland: Iceland had the privilege of playing in the first game with Belgium. They got off to a good start, as Andri Helgason and Robert Sigurdsson scored within the first six minutes. The lead didn't last the period though, as Belgium clawed back, tying the game before the period ended. Sigurdsson's second of the game put Iceland in the lead midway through the second. But before Iceland could breathe, Belgium fired back with two goals of their own. Iceland ended the period down a goal. Time was running out, as Iceland tried tying the game in the third. With 23 seconds left, Bjorn Sigurdarson found the back of the net to tie the game. Overtime solved nothing, so a shootout was needed. Iceland failed to score in the shootout, as they ended up falling to Belgium 5-4. Iceland were more so in control against China, but despite the shot disparity, they finished the first period only up by one goal. Iceland did manage to extend their lead in the second, scoring twice in a four-minute span. Unfortunately for them, China found the back of the net twice themselves, once again making it a one goal game. Iceland scored twice more in the third, and this time they held on, as they ended up beating China 7-4. Iceland had a tougher time against the Netherlands. Iceland gave up two goals in the first, while getting outshot 23-9. It got slightly better for Iceland, but they did end up letting in one more goal (and empty netter). Dennis Hedstrom battled through it all, stopping 50 of 52 shots. Iceland was shut out by the Netherlands 3-0. Iceland's play against Serbia was better. They scored three times in the first (two of them courteous of Ulfar Andresson). It went downhill for Iceland after the first, giving up four in the second and two in the third while getting heavily outplayed. Hedstrom once again faced over 50 shots (53), and managed to stop 47 of them. Iceland lost the game 6-3. Iceland ended the tournament against Spain. A penalty in the first by Iceland lead to Spain scoring first. The lead last less than four minutes, as Andri Mikaelsson scored to tie the game. Scoring in the second happened late in the period, as two goals was Spain sandwiched one by Johann Leifsson. Iceland could not keep up on the scoreboard, as Spain added two more in the third. Iceland lost their last game 5-2. Iceland finished the tournament in fifth place.

China: China battled, but their effort wasn't enough. Starting off against Spain, the shots were low in the first, but China did give up the first goal of the game. China was outplayed in the second, but hung on, keeping the game close. A penalty in the third was costly for China, as Spain scored to extend their lead. China ran out of time, as they were shut out 2-0. Shengrong Xia did what he could to keep China in it, stopping 32 of 34 shots. China had a goalfest again Iceland in the first. Iceland scored a pair first, then Tianxiang Xia scored to cut the lead in half. Both teams swapped goals later in the period, as China ended the period down a goal. It continued into the second, with Iceland scoring twice in about four minutes. Mingxi Tang and Cheng Zhang scored for China later in the period, as China did what it could to keep the game close. Iceland ended up being too much for China, as they scored two more times in the third. China ended up losing the game 7-4. Goals were harder to come by against Belgium. Once again, China gave up the first goal, as Belgium score don the powerplay minutes into the game. China caught a break in the second, as they ended up with a 5-on-3. They made good on it, as Yang scored to tie the game. That didn't last long, as Belgium regained the lead once play went back to 5-on-5. China got off to a quick start in the third period, with Hao Zhang scoring 36 seconds into the period to tie the game. Overtime was need to tie the game. After hitting a high in the third, Zhang hit a low in overtime, taking a tripping penalty to put Belgium on the powerplay. Belgium would capitalize on that opportunity, as China lost the game 3-2. Zhang's goal actually ended up being China's last of the tournament. Against the Netherlands, China had no chance. China kept up with them in the first, as the shots were 11-11, however the scoreboard showed China down 3-0. The Netherlands kept piling on, as China ended up suffering a 9-0 defeat. China faced off against Serbia in their last game. It was like most of China's other games, as they looked to be even at times, but for the most part got heavily outplayed. Shengrong Xia did what he could, stopping 41 of 44 shots. China suffered another shutout loss, this time by the score of 3-0. China finished in sixth place, and are relegated to Group B for next year.

Showing Some International Love: 2016 IIHF World Championship Review - Division II Group B

In an unusual occurrence, it was an opening day game that determined the fate of first place. Australia managed to beat the host Mexico in overtime, which was the determining factor in them getting the promotion to Group A. Mexico had a good tournament the rest of the way, but had to settle for second and another year in Group B. Israel, New Zealand, and North Korea all finished with the same record and same amount of points. The tie-breaker determined that Israel would get the spot on the podium, while New Zealand and North Korea would settle for fourth and fifth (respectively). Bulgaria was leaking goals throughout the tournament, resulting in them ending up in last and getting relegated to Division III for next year.

Note: Most information from the IIHF website.

Standings

Team	Wins	OTW/SOW	OTL/SOL	Losses	Points	Goal Diff.
Australia	4	1	0	0	14	+48
Mexico	4	0	1	0	13	+17
Israel	2	0	0	3	6	-11
New Zealand	2	0	0	3	6	+8
North Korea	2	0	0	3	6	-18
Bulgaria	0	0	0	5	0	-44

Results

April 9
New Zealand 6 - Israel 3
North Korea 9 - Bulgaria 3
Mexico 4 - Australia 5 (OT)

April 10
Israel 8 - North Korea 4
Australia 14 - Bulgaria 0
New Zealand 1 - Mexico 2

April 12
Australia 11 - Israel 3
New Zealand 4 - North Korea 7
Mexico 10 - Bulgaria 1

April 14
Bulgaria 1 - New Zealand 14
North Korea 1 - Australia 22
Israel 3 - Mexico 9

April 15
Australia 6 - New Zealand 2
Bulgaria 3 - Israel 5
Mexico 5 - North Korea 3

Team Recap

Australia: The Aussies rolled over the competition in this tournament. Their biggest (and only) challenge came in their first game against Mexico. Australia let up the first goal of the game seven minutes into the first. It took less time in the second, as Mexico scored just over five minutes into the second. Australia then turned on the jets, scoring four times (twice on the powerplay) to take the lead after 40 minutes. They could not hold the lead though, as Mexico came back and tied the game in the third. 60 minutes wasn't enough, overtime was needed. James Byers looked to have taken a costly penalty in the extra frame. It ended up being a blessing in disguise, as Mitch Humphries scored shorthanded to win the game for Australia. The final score was 5-4. Australia showed Bulgaria no mercy. Lead by Cameron Todd's four-goal performance, the Aussies had eight different goal scorers (four with a multi-goal game). Anthony Kimlin and Charlie Smart split duty in net, stopping seven shot combined. Australia shut out Bulgaria 14-0. They continued against Israel. Despite giving up the first goal less than a minute in, Australia managed to reel off six unanswered goals. Their scoring (and play to an extent) slowed down as the game went on, but the damage was done. Kimlin had a tougher night, stopping 32 of 35 shots. Australia still won the game 11-3. If the 11-goal performance wasn't enough for the Aussies, they challenged themselves to double it against North Korea. Wehebe Darge scored four times, Todd and Michael Schlamp had hat tricks, and seven others had goals in the game. Kimlin and Smart once again shared the net, and saved all but one shot. Australia showed no mercy against North Korea, demolishing them 22-1. Australia got to end the tournament facing their neighbour New Zealand. They didn't rack up the goals like in other games, but Australia wasn't completely quiet either. They scored twice in the second, then exploded for four in the second. That was all for Australia, as the six goals was more than enough. They gave up two in the third, but that was all for New Zealand. Australia beat their neighbour 6-2. Going undefeated, Australia rolled through the group en route to a first place finish. They earned the gold medal and a spot in Group A for next year.

Mexico: The host opened against Australia. Hector Majul led the way for Mexico on the scoreboard, getting goals in the first and second period. After Majul's second goal though, it went downhill for the host. Australia scored four unanswered to end the period in the lead. Mexico did come back, first with Adrian Cervantes scoring early in the third. Brian Arroyo's powerplay goal late in the third tied the game. Overtime was needed to decide a winner. Mexico looked to caught a break, as Australia received a penalty for tripping. It wasn't the case though, as Australia scored while shorthanded. Mexico lost the game 5-4. The host had another tough go, this time against New Zealand. Mexico let up the first goal, as they gave up a penalty shot early in the second. It wasn't until the third when Mexico found an answer. Arroyo struck twice in less than a minute, as he single-handedly put Mexico in the lead. They hung on to win the game 2-1. The host found their groove against Bulgaria. They had three players have a multi-goal game, while four other chipped in offensively. Andres de la Garma and Alfonso de Alba both stopped three saves a piece, with de la Garma allowing the only goal against. Mexico easily won the game 10-1. Mexico looked in control against Israel, outshooting 17-3 them in the first. The shot disparity didn't measure up with the score though, as both teams headed into the intermission tied 2-2. The puck did start finding the net in the second, scoring four times (two of them thanks to Cervantes). Luis Alberto de la Vega had a two-goal third period, as Mexico ended up winning the game 9-3. Mexico ended the tournament facing North Korea. The first wasn't good for Mexico, as they gave up the opening goal five minutes into the game. The later half of the second period was when Mexico started hitting the back of the net. Majul scored twice, with Arroyo getting one in between. Arroyo added one early in the third before North Korea started clawing back. A pair of North Korean goals made Mexico's lead go down to one goal. Arroyo would strike again later in the period, as he capped off his hat trick with a penalty shot goal. Mexico hung on to win 5-3. The first lost was hard for Mexico, but they performed well after that. They finished the tournament in second, giving the home fans the chance to celebrate a sliver medal.

Israel: The Israelis started off against New Zealand. It didn't look good for them in the first, as New Zealand put up a three-spot. Elie Klein scored on the powerplay early in the first to put Israel on the board. New Zealand would strike back seconds later,  putting Israel behind by three again. Daniel Mazour scored midway through the period to pull Israel to within two. Klein once again struck early in a period, as his third period goal made it a one-goal game. That was as close as they got though, as New Zealand added two more before the final whistle. Israel lost their first game 6-3. They had a much better time against North Korea. Israel scored five unanswered in the first period. They gave up a shorthanded goal before the period ended, as they headed into the intermission up 5-1. Israel added two more to their goal total in the second before North Korea got another goal. It was rough in the second, as Ilya Spektor and Yuval Rosenthal (along with North Korea's Nam Hyok Kim) all got penalized for bad hits minutes apart from each other. All of the got two and a ten (only Spektor's was early enough so he could play after serving his penalties). North Korea did outscore Israel in the period 2-1. Israel won the game though, by a score of 8-4. Israel did not have a good game against Australia. It looked good early on though, as Rosenthal scored 49 seconds in to put Israel in the lead. Australia then answered with six straight goals. Artur Pyshkin scored on the powerplay before the period ended to cap off the first. Australia kept adding to their lead, even as Israel picked up their play. Rosenthal scored on a two-man advantage in the third period, which was Israel's only other goal. They lost the game to Australia by a score of 11-3. Facing Mexico wasn't much better. Israel gave up two early goals, but clawed their way back and tied the game later in the period. Despite the 17-3 shot disparity, Israel escaped the period tied 2-2. Mexico would make up for it in the second, scoring four unanswered. Mexico scored twice more in the third before Pyshkin scored to break up their run. Mexico added one more, as Israel suffered a 9-3 loss. Israel faced Bulgaria in their last game. Israel was in control for the majority of the game, but ended the first and second periods tied. Israel finally took the lead for good in the third, thanks to Roey Aharonovich powerplay goal. Mazour added an empty net goal. Alexander Loginov had light work, stopping seven of ten shots. Israel won the game 5-3. Thanks to tiebreakers, Israel ended up in third, taking home the bronze medal.

New Zealand: The Kiwis started the tournament facing Israel. It was a good start for New Zealand, as Mitchell Frear scored on the powerplay minutes into the game. They added two more midway through the first, taking a 3-0 lead. Israel broke the shutout early in the second, but Ryan Ruddle responded soon after to regain New Zealand's three-goal lead. Israel scored midway through the third and early in the first to pull within a goal. New Zealand would not let them get any closer though, and added a couple in the third for insurance. The Kiwis won their first game 6-3. Against Mexico, the game was pretty close. The first period was pretty uneventful, with no goals or penalties and a low shot total (16 combined). Andrew Cox got the Ice Blacks on the board early in the second, scoring on a penalty shot. That lasted until the third, when Mexico struck twice in quick succession. New Zealand had no answer for this, as they ended up losing the game 2-1. Looking to rebound against North Korea, New Zealand would go through another scoreless first period. Lachlan Frear scored minutes into the second, but North Korea responded seconds later, tying the game. Midway through the period, Nicolas Henderson scored on the powerplay to put the Kiwis back in the lead. It didn't last the rest of the period though, as North Korea scored twice to take the lead themselves. Chun Rin Hong (North Korea) and Andrew Cox (New Zealand) were at it for the first half of the third, as both scored twice. New Zealand could not find a tying goal, as North Korea potted two more on an empty net. The Kiwis lost their second in a row, this time by a score of 7-4. New Zealand's offense came alive against Bulgaria. Lead by hat tricks from Jacob Ratcliffe and Callum Burns, the Kiwis had eight different scorers. Michael Hopkinson stopped eight of nine shots (Richard Parry stopped three shots in the first period). New Zealand beat Bulgaria 14-1. Finishing off against neighbouring Australia, New Zealand had a rough time. They were scored on twice in the first and four times I nteh second. Mitchell Frear did break the shutout early in the third, and finally put the Kiwis on the board. Ratcliffe managed to get one more for the Ice Blacks, as they ended the tournament with a 6-2 loss. Due to tiebreakers, New Zealand finished the tournament in fourth place.

North Korea: North Korea started off against Bulgaria, and what a start they had. Three goals (two by Chun Rim Hong) in the first five minutes caused Bulgaria to change goalies. Both teams scored later in the period. The second period saw North Korea with another good start, scoring twice. Bulgaria did get one of their own midway through the period. Bulgaria also scored early in the third, but that was all North Korea would allow. North Korea scored three more before the game ended (the last two courteous of Chol Hyok An). North Korea won the game 9-3. Their second game, against Israel, did not got as well. Israel scored five unanswered before Chol Min Ri score shorthanded late in the first. The second was similar, as Israel scored twice, and Hong added one for North Korea late in the period. It got a bit rough in the third, as two Israelis and a North Korean got hitting from behind or to the head penalties and 10-minute misconducts (all three happened within minutes of each other). Score did happen late in the period, as a pair of Kuk Chol Kim goals sandwich an Israeli one. The end result was North Korea losing to Israel 8-4. Things were much better against New Zealand. While New Zealand struck first (early in the second), it took seconds for North Korea to tie the game. New Zealand scored midway through the period, but In Hyok Kang scored a pair of goals before the end of the period. The teams swapped goals a couple of time, with North Korea keeping in the lead. Two empty net goals sealed the game for North Korea, as they beat New Zealand 7-4. Against Australia, North Korea had no chance. Song Jin Pak scored North Korea's only goal of the game. Both Il Pak and Kuk Chol Pak had a rough night, only able to stop 20 of 42 shots combined. North Korea got walloped by Australia 22-1. North Korea ended the tournament facing the host Mexico. North Korea had a good start, thanks to Chum Rim Hong's goal minutes into the game. The second period was not as kind, as Mexico scored three time, putting North Korea down by two heading into the third period. Mexico scored once more in the third before North Korea started their comeback attempt. Man Gum Kang and Hong (second of the game) pulled North Korea to within a goal. Unfortunately, the tying goal never happened, as Mexico added one more to seal the game. North Korea lost their last game 5-3. North Korea ends the tournament in fifth place and gets to hang around in Division II for another year.

Bulgaria: This was a tournament Bulgaria will want to forget pretty soon. Against North Korea, Bulgaria had a poor start, as they were down 3-0 within the first five minutes. A goalie change was needed, as Todor Petkov went in for Dimitar Dimitrov. Midway through the first, Tareq Abdi scored to put Bulgaria on the board. North Korea added one more before the period end. The second period was similar, with Bulgaria getting scored on twice early in the period. Again, Bulgaria scored a mid-period goal, this time thanks to Tomislav Georgiev. Bulgaria struck early in the third, as Abdi scored his second of the game just five minutes into the final frame. That was as close as Bulgaria got though, as North Korea added three more. Bulgaria lost their first game 9-3. Their second game was even worst, as Australia didn't let Bulgaria do much. Bulgaria only managed 7 shots in the game, but gave up double the amount in goals. Dimitrov and Petkov did what they could, stopping 26 of 40 shots. Bulgaria was shut out by Australia 14-0. Things weren't much better against Mexico. Bulgaria still managed only seven shots, but one of them by Veselin Dikov did find the back of the net. Dimitrov stayed in net the whole game, stopping 33 of 43 shots. Bulgaria suffered another bad loss, this time by the score of 10-1. It must be something with Oceanic teams, as Bulgaria surrendered another 14 goals, this time against New Zealand. It wasn't all doom and gloom though, as Georgi Iskrenov scored on the penalty shot, guaranteeing that Bulgaria would not get shut out. They still lost 14-1. Bulgaria ended their tournament facing Israel. Once again, Bulgaria was horribly outplayed, but kept the score close. They even scored first, thanks to Iskrenov. Israel scored seconds before the first period ended, making it 1-1. Iskrenov scored five minutes into the second, putting Bulgaria ahead once again. Israel did score twice later in the period, but Dikov responded, tying the game at 3-3. That was it for Bulgaria's scoring, as Israel scored twice in the third to win 5-3. Bulgaria finished the tournament in sixth place, going pointless, and will be sent down to Division III for next year.