CCHL Playoffs Are Underway!

The opening night of the 2017-18 CCHL playoffs got off to an exciting start with Hamilton, Rejkyavik, Wisborg, and Halifax all hosting first-round playoff games. Let's jump in and see how these games turned out.

CANOSA CONFERENCE:

Minnesota (#6 seed) at Hamilton (#3 seed): The Tigers' Patrik Kane gave the Tigers a quick 1-0 lead with his first goal of the playoffs just 69 seconds into the opening period. The Norsemen were quick to respond with Jake Guentzel scoring for the visitors to tie the game at one goal each. Before the first period ended, the Tiger's Boone Jenner got into the act with a nifty wrist shot over Norsemen's Antii Raanta's left shoulder to give the home team a 2-1 lead heading into the first intermission. There was just one goal in the second period, scored by defenseman Erik Karlsson with just 16 seconds left in the period to give Hamilton a 3-1 lead. Roman Polak got the Norsemen within a goal but the Tigers shut it down the rest of the way for a 3-2 win.

Final: Hamilton - 3, Minnesota - 2

Springfield (#5 seed) at Rejkyavik (#4 seed): A single point separated the Isotopes and the Puffin in the regular season and no one expects a short series from these two rivals. The visitors got off strong start outshooting the host Puffin 17-6 in the first period and enjoying a 2-1 lead at the intermission. Three goals from Makin, Turris, and Tkachuk lifted the Isotopes to a stunning 5-1 lead as the team finished forty minutes of play. REK finally found their game in the third, scoring three times to make it a one-goal game, but that's as close as they would get tonight.

Final: Springfield - 5, Rejkyavik - 4


CORFIELD CONFERENCE:

Portland (#6 seed) at Wisborg (#3 seed): The night's most lopsided contest of the evening took place across the globe in Wisborg as the Donuts started a bit slowly and didn't score until the midway mark of the first period. Make no mistake, though - the Donuts dominated the Owls with 2 goals in the first period and two more in the second period. Shots after 40 minutes were 32-12 and the 4-0 lead Wisborg enjoyed wasn't ever in doubt as the tandem in nets of Lehner and Bernier blanked the guests from Portland, 4-0. Wisborg lost Lehner for game two with a lower-body injury. 

Final: Wisborg - 4, Portland - 0

Niagara Falls (#5 seed) at Halifax (#4 seed): On paper, a series that should go the Hammerheads way, but they sure don't play the games on paper, do they? No, they don't! The Thunder played a patient game tonight and with single goals in each of the three periods, combined with a perfect performance from netminders Roberto Luongo - who had to leave the game with 4 minutes left in the first period due to taking a shot off the side of his head - and was replaced by Petr Mrazek, who stopped all 23 shots he faced for the shutout win.

Final: Niagara Falls 3, Halifax - 0