And we are off with our 32nd playoff season as last Friday we kicked off week one of our playoff round robin games.

Early game between the #2 seed Canada and the #5 seed USA.  The Canucks are rolling at the right time as they have reeled off 4 straight wins entering these playoffs and the Americans win a monster game at the end of the season spanking the #1 seed Swedes.

Opening period was all Canada as they scored 5 unanswered goals.  2nd frame saw both squads get singles and the the 3rd period Canada gets 3 more as the yanks could only score once.  Canada wins big time 9-2 to open our playoffs and send a message to the rested Swedes their may be a new king in town.

First Period

1.  Canada, Fletcher 1 (Ianno) 11:58

2.  Canada, Harty 1 (unassisted) 10:54

3.  Canada, Fletcher 2 (Coffin, Ianno) 5:43 GWG

4.  Canada, Arruda 1 (Ianno, Chalovich) 2:40

5.  Canada, Annan 1 (Guerra) 0:21

Penalties – none

Second Period

6.  Canada, Robb 1 (Julius, Harty) 13:50

7.  USA, Cummings 1 (Kostick) 10:10 PP

Penalties – Arruda CAN 11:40, Cummings USA 8:57

Third Period

8.  Canada, Robb 2 (unassisted) 8:19

9.  Canada, Robb 3 (Ianno, Fletcher) 7:49

10.  Canada, Arruda 2 (unassisted) 5:03

11.  USA, Barbosa 1 (Chantaj) 4:03

Penalties – Boudens CAN 14:38

Power Play – Canada 0-1.  USA 1-2

Goalies – Canada Senkowski W 1-0-0. USA G. Ide L 0-1-0

Canada 9. USA 2

Players of the Game went to Canada’s #1 Art Senkowski

And for the Americans George Karabinis, who did NOT play, ouch!!!

Late game between the #3 seed Poland and #4 seed Finland looked to be a good one.

No scoring in the opening period.  Poland out shot the Finns big time in the first but could not find a way to beat Finlands backstop McCallum.  Poland score 2 quick goals on the same shift early to take a 2-0 lead.  Finland scores in the latter half of the 2nd to make this a 1 goal game into the final frame.  Again both goalies looked sharp in this one.  Finland ties up the game early in the 3rd on the PP.  Finland takes its first lead of the game at the 10 minute mark of the 3rd.  Poland presses the rest of the way but McCallum shuts them down.  Finland wins this crucial opener 3-2.  Excellent game at both ends of the pond.

First Period

No scoring or penalties

Second Period

1.  Poland, Ferrin 1 (Rukavina) 14:24

2.  Poland, Rukavina 1 (Dupal, Krajewski) 13:58

3.  Finland, MacDougall 1 (Fasulo, Carlisle) 4:30

Penalties – none

Third Period

4.  Finland, MacDougall 2 (Carlisle) 11:00 PP

5.  Finland, Carlisle 1 (McCormick) 9:55 GWG

Penalties – Dupal POL 12:55, MacDougall FIN 1:09

Power Play – Poland 0-1.  Finland 1-1

Goalies – Finland McCallum W 1-0-0.  Poland B. Ide L 0-1-0

Finland 3 Poland 2

Players of the Game went to Polands #1 Bobby Ide

And for the Finns 2 players awarded #1 Scott McCallum and #5 Tony Carlisle

So a great start to our playoffs.  This week Friday, March 22 at 9:15 Sweden will debut their playoffs against the USA looking to bounce back from last weeks debacle.  And at 10:30 pm Canada and Finland will do battle with the winner of this one taking top spot in the playoffs.  Should be a beauty.  Get your tickets early before they are all sold out.  Poland gets the week off.  See you all on the ice!!!!