Early Game – Ireland vs Portugal

After a pair of upsets in the first round including a dominating win by last place Portugal, PCOHL fans geared up for an exciting start to Round 2 where Leo & Co. would test their mettle against first place Ireland in the green team’s first playoff game.

Ireland sniper Paul Riopelle broke the ice halfway through the first period, but Portugal’s Jodie Young evened the score just two minutes later. And a mere 30 seconds after that, veteran D-man Jay Cummings bulged the twine to put these upstart Lisbonites in the lead against the vaunted Dubliners!

It was looking like this was how the period would end but with 3 minutes left Tim Randa lit the lamp to tie the game at two goals a piece and then Ireland’s MVP Riopelle put them in front with only a minute to go.

3-2 Ireland after the first period.

At this point Ireland’s backstop, Tony Cioffi, shuttered the windows, barricaded the door, and put up the CLOSED sign.

ZERO goals against Ireland in period two.

ZERO goals against Ireland in period three.

And for you history buffs, very few PCOHL games are won by teams who score two goals. Add another pair from Riopelle and Randa in the second and third period and Ireland takes this one 5-2.

Interesting outcome for an Irish squad known for its offence. Looks like they aren’t too shabby defensively either and will be a challenge this coming week for Slovenia.

Ireland’s Player of the Game goes to Acheson Thomas with two helpers to compliment his usual solid D while the Portuguese give the chicken hat to the freshly shorn handsome devil Jay Cummings.

Late Game – Scotland vs Slovenia

The late game featured a Scottish squad who got SPANKED by Portugal in the first round and a Slovenian squad fresh off a win over Italy. Confidence and momentum edge to Slovenia.

Slovenia starts the scoring early with a goal from league mascot Mike Rukavina but after an extended scoreless battle, Brad Stoll lights the lamp in the dying minutes to end the first period a 1-1 tie.

Scotland’s Team Sponsor Frank Nweisser puts his squad ahead 2-1 halfway through period two but Slovenia’s Team Sponsor Dave Dodic says, “no you don’t” and evens the score at two with six minutes to go.

But the second period was far from over. D-man Steve Atchison stirs his Glasgow goombahs into a frenzy with a go-ahead goal in the waning minutes only to be answered in short order by Slovenia’s Bob King.

Back and forth action in this one with period two ending in a 3-3 draw!

Stewart Henderson would be the difference maker in this one, completely shutting out the Slovenian offence in the third period while teammates Stoll and Vincelli added two for a 5-3 Scottish victory.

Scotland Player of the Game goes to D-Man Steve Atchison while Dave Dodic takes the honours for the Lads from Ljubljana.

So it’s a 4-way tie for first place in these playoffs with winless Italy in sole possession of…er….ahem…last place.

The Romans will look for that all-important first win this Friday against Scotland in the late show. These two teams split the regular season 2-2-1 so this should be a close one.

The vaunted Irish now on a TEN GAME winning streak, undefeated in 2025, will go up against the hard-charging Slovenians in the early game.