In the first of a new feature here at Hockey With Ice, we preview the key action to look forward to across the hockey world this coming week.
NHL
The Vancouver Canucks clinched their first post-season spot in four years yesterday before they even took the ice, thanks to the San Jose Sharks defeating the St. Louis Blues 4-0. That made them the seventh team to punch their play-off ticket with just over two weeks left of the NHL regular season.
Among the other contenders, arguably the most intriguing race is the one for third place in the Eastern Metropolitan division. The Washington Capitals currently sit in that position on 82 points despite having a -31 goal difference. The Philadelphia Flyers have the same points total but have played two additional games (75) and the next team along are the New York Islanders.
The Isles are five points behind, but they start the week with a trip to Philadelphia tonight and then have a home game against the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday. If Patrick Roy’s team can win both of those games, and the Caps lose in Buffalo tomorrow, by Wednesday morning the Islanders would be in third place.
Swedish Hockey League
Whilst three of the SHL Quarter-Finals were wrapped up in four game sweeps, Frölunda and Leksand are putting together a more competitive series to earn the remaining Semi-Final place.
Frölunda won 5-2 at the Scandinavium on Saturday to take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series, so Leksand need to make the most of home-ice advantage on Monday to force a Game Seven decider. Monday’s game begins at 15:00 local time, 14:00 in the UK, and if one more game is needed to separate the two teams then it will take place on Wednesday with a 19:00 local start time in Göteborg.
The winner of that series will take on Skellefteå in the Semi-Final stage, beginning on Saturday afternoon. Before then, Växjö and Rögle will get their Semi-Final underway on Friday evening.
HockeyAllsvenskan
The battle to gain promotion to the SHL has reached the Semi-Final stage.
Regular season league winners Brynäs made light work of eighth seed Nybro in a 4-0 sweep of their Quarter Final, which was not unexpected. Much more of a surprise was seventh seed Karlskoga sweeping up second seed Södertälje. Although Brynäs will still be heavy favourites, Karlskoga will go into the best-of-seven Semi-Final full of confidence and should not be counted out from pulling off another giant-killing act. Their series begins on Monday evening at 18:30 local time, with further games on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
In the other Semi-Final, Mora will look to complete a double of sorts. They knocked out Stockholm’s AIK in the Quarter Finals and now face Djurgården in the Semi-Finals. Djurgården got past Björklöven 4-1 and have won four home games in a row, although Mora may be able to carry forward some good feelings from Hovet after grabbing a 4-3 Overtime victory there against AIK last Monday. The series begins on Tuesday evening, with further games this week on Thursday and Saturday.
Finland Liiga
Just as in the SHL, we come into this week with one Semi-Final place still to be won in the Finnish Liiga.
That will be decided on Tuesday in what is set to be an absolute classic. Lahti Pelicans breezed into a 3-0 series lead in their Quarter Final, only for HIFK to hit back with three straight wins of their own to force a Game Seven decider. All of the momentum is leaning HIFK’s way, but now the series rests on the result of one game and the decider is being staged in Lahti.
Whichever team gets through will face Kärpät in a best-of-seven Semi Final, with the other Semi Final being contested by KalPa and reigning champions Tappara. Games One and Two of both Semi Finals take place on Friday and Saturday.
Elsewhere in Europe
The Swiss National League Semi-Final series begin on Monday and they will be contested by the top four teams from the regular season. Top team ZSC Lions meet fourth-placed EV Zug, with second-placed HC Fribourg-Gottéron matching up against third-placed Lausanne. Games Two and Three from both series then take place on Wednesday and Saturday respectively.
In the Czech Tipsport Extraliga, Dynamo Pardubice defeated Litvinov 2-1 on Sunday to take a 1-0 lead in their Semi-Final. Great Britain’s Liam Kirk has been in sparkling form for Litvinov so far in the play-offs, scoring eight goals in 10 games, and he will look to get back on the scoresheet as the series continues on Monday before playing back-to-back on Thursday and Friday. Sparta Prague and HC Ocelári Třinec will begin their Semi-Final series on Tuesday.
In the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL), the two Semi-Finals get underway on Monday. Fischtown Pinguins and Red Bull München swept their Quarter Finals 4-0, against Ingolstadt and Grizzlys Wolfsburg respectively, so couldn’t be in better form heading into their match-up. Straubing Tigers came through a Game Seven decider against Schwenninger Wild Wings to qualify for the other Semi Final where they will take on Eisbären Berlin, who knocked out reigning DEL Champions Adler Mannheim in the Quarter Finals.
In the UK’s Elite Ice Hockey League, Cardiff’s 4-3 OT win against the Belfast Giants yesterday guaranteed them a second-placed finish behind the already-crowned regular season champs Sheffield Steelers. The bottom two teams, Glasgow Clan and Nottingham Panthers, meet at the Motorpoint Arena on Monday and both still have a chance at making the play-offs if they string some wins together over their remaining five games.