April 22, 2021

[DetroitGM]

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Round one ends for the West with a pair of 6-3 wins.

In the first game Dallas broke out to a 3-0 lead before the end of the second period. Just prior to halfway through the second, Daniel Sprong scored his 6th, before a pair of goals by Curtis Valk and one by Ryan Stoa narrowed the game to 4-3. However, Malkin pulled Dallas away halfway through the third, while Mueller scored with under 2 minutes left to ice it. Vasilevski very much gave St. Louis the Blues (sorry) stopping just 18 of 24.

The second game followed a very clear pattern, with goals appearing in weird 2-1 sets. Kaapa Kakko's 6th opened the scoring just 44 seconds into the game, while goals from Tryamkin and Zherdev followed to complete the first 2-1 set. Kakko also featured in the second set, after a goal by Carter and before one from Filatov. Finally, Myers and Marchenko each got their first of the playoffs, with Zadina getting a last consolation marker. Bernier put in the same performance as Vasilevski, stopping just 18 of 24, in some sort of sad monarchy pun - although really Kaapo Kakko's 2 goal, 4 point night was what dethroned the Kings (not sorry).

No powerplay goals in either game, though there were only three powerplays in the first game anyway.

Oh, also the Swiss and Finns tied at 4, Austria beat Germany 5-4, the Czechs beat Norway 5-2 (Pastrnak with 3 assists), and Sweden unsurprisingly pounded Italy 7-2.

[SharksGM]

I was honestly not expecting that. GG, Hugo.

It's kind of funny that Kovalchuk managed to go goalless in 7 games. I'm pretty sure he helped me win a series against the Kings before. Thanks, Kaapo Kakko.

My secret weapon turned out to be Jacob Markstrom, a shitty backup who outplayed the opposing shitty backup (in game 7 anyway). Also, the series sv% was a dead even 0.857%, a real duel... er, shootout since all four played. Outshooting the Kings 204-161 was evidently the difference.

Now onwards to trying to out-grit and out-veteran savvy the Hawks, if that's possible (nah, probably lose in 6).

[SensGM]

Another fail for LAK
Great series guys
Kakko is red hot

[TBGM - Geoff]

And all the big names I traded at the deadline have been eliminated.

[AvalancheGM]

Oh, also the Swiss and Finns tied at 4, Austria beat Germany 5-4, the Czechs beat Norway 5-2 (Pastrnak with 3 assists), and Sweden unsurprisingly pounded Italy 7-2.

Whoa whoa whoa, two of the games had less than 9 goals? EHM breaking its own arcane rules.

[NYRNYRNYR]

Grats SJ and DAL (defending champion!). Great fight by LAK and STL

[Edmonton Mike]

Zack Kassian, we meet again...