Playoff Hockey is here!
July 7, Hong Kong Wait no more - the CIHL Playoffs are here and if last week was any indication of what's to come - this will be a game you DON'T WANT TO MISS! Last week the Macau Aces needed a big win and two crucial points if they wanted to make the playoffs. I don't think their game plan had them entering the third period down 4-2 but this did nothing to slow them down as they stormed back by scoring three times in the final four minutes to vault them into the playoffs. The game winning goal by Whitney Olsen came with 14 seconds left in the period... what a finish to the regular season. It gets even better as this week semi-finals game is a repeat of last week. The South China Shark will take on the Macau Aces for a one-game winner take all and the opportunity to take on the Kowloon Warriors in the CIHL final on July 16. DON'T MISS IT... Thursday July 9th, 8:30pm @ Mega Ice.
Olsen's Heroics Vault Aces into Semi-Finals
July 2, Hong Kong Whitney Olsen's pair of astounding individual efforts helped the Manulife Macau Aces jump the Hong Kong Tycoons in the standings, setting up a playoff date next Thursday in a rematch against the Scotiabank South China Sharks. A point would not have been enough for Macau, and they threw caution into the wind looking for their first win since February 20th. When so much elite talent is playing together in one Ice Hockey league, some highlight reel goals are inevitable; however, Whitney's last second effort ranks among one of the best goals the league has ever seen. After receiving a chip pass from his winger Kean, Olsen proceeded to engrave his name in the CIHL history books, burning past a defender with a slick move and taking a perfectly placed backhand shot just inside the crossbar and post. The Sharks looked on in devastation, as this was the second consecutive game where they allowed their opponents to come back from a three-goal deficit. The teams will face off again next week for a chance to dance with the Warriors in the 2019-2020 Scotiabank Cup. The Sharks will look to avenge their third period collapse while the Aces will count on goaltender Liam Moorfield-Yee to steal the game for them as he has done so many times in the past. As was last season's semi-final between the same two teams, it promises to be a thriller. The three stars of the game: 1. Whitney Olsen (Aces) 2. Jordan So (Sharks) 3. King Ho (Sharks)
Warriors Deliver Fatal Blow to Tycoons with Last Gasp Winner
July 2, Hong Kong The AsiaXPAT Kowloon Warriors eliminated the HKBN Hong Kong Tycoons from playoff contention with just over a minute left in regulation Thursday night at MegaBox in Kowloon Bay. The CIHL's all-time leading scorer Gregory Smyth undressed a Hong Kong defenceman before chipping the puck in from in close as the Tycoons watched their season come to a close in agonizing fashion. With none of the bottom three teams safe heading into Thursday night, everything was on the line for the two semi-final berths, setting up one of the most climactic nights in the league's history. Kowloon had long secured their spot in the Scotiabank Cup and hoped to play spoiler to the Tycoons in their final regular season encounter. The Warriors were sporting a plethora of call ups hoping to make their mark in the CIHL. The game looked slated to head to overtime and Hong Kong would pick up the critical point they needed to vault into the semi-finals. Smyth had other ideas however, and after receiving a pass from Jake McDonnell, the former Dalhousie standout deftly rounded a lunging Hong Kong defenceman and calmly chipped the puck past the committed net-minder. With their season now on the line, Hong Kong pressed hard but were undone by an empty net marker from Mike Yoshino. It was a crushing blow for the team that had clawed back into the mix after looking like dead men walking before the Christmas break. Kowloon will play the winner of the Manulife Macau Aces and the Scotiabank South China Sharks in next week's semi-final encounter.
Sharks, Tycoons and Aces all battling for playoff spots.
June 29, Hong Kong After a very long season due to the COVID delay, the final week of the regular season is upon us and the final two playoff spots are still up for grabs. A Tycoons win against the well rested 1st place Warriors will guarantee them a playoff spot - a loss will have them pulling for a Aces victory in the final game of the season against the Sharks. A Sharks win vs the Aces puts them in the playoffs and sends the Aces packing - a loss coupled with a loss by the Tycoons to the Warriors still works and gets them in the playoffs. The Aces need to rebounded from last week loss, they need a win in 'regular time' in order to squeeze into the playoffs and send the Sharks fishing - anything else will not be enough. The Warriors having already clinched 1st place and a bye to the CIHL Finals on July 16th will look to cap off the season with a 7th consecutive win. Don't miss the final week of the 2019-2020 Regular Season.... it's playoff time! Game 1 @ 8:30pm - Tycoons vs. Warriors Game 2 @ 10:00pm - Aces vs. Sharks
Amazing comeback keeps Tycoons playoff hopes alive!
June 25, Hong Kong Entering the 3rd period and trailing by a score of 7-4, all seemed lost for the Hong Kong Tycoons who desperately needed a win to stay alive in the playoff race. However two goals in the final 1:18 of the third capped off a 5 goal period and a stunning 9-8 victory over the stunned Sharks. Elliott Steele picked up a fanned pass in the slot and made no mistake by beating Sharks goalie King Ho with a low shot to the glove side with thirty-four seconds left in the game. The Tycoons victory took the steam away from the hot-handed Jamie Stark of the Sharks who found the net four time during the game. The Sharks remain in second place in the CIHL standings with 15 points. The Tycoons now have 14 points and the Aces who lost to the Warriors later in the evening remain at 13. It all comes down to the final week of the regular season to see which two teams will battle each other in the semi-finals with the winner advancing to the finals to play the Kowloon Warriors. The three stars of the game: 1) Elliott Stelle (Tycoons) 2) Jamie Stark (Sharks) 3) Gordon Kean (Tycoons)