THL Season 2 Stanley Cup Playoffs

THL (S2) Comes To A Close

After another successful regular season in the THL, where every one of the games on the schedule were played, we headed into the playoffs.

Here is a quick look at how the final standings looked heading into the post season.

Just like i mentioned in the season 1 playoff article, teams are seeded 1 through 8 and are reseeded after each round. Again, we have a mix of 12 teams, so Eastern and Western teams can meet in any round.

The quarterfinals and semifinals are all a best of 5 series. Both rounds seen some solid hockey and great competition. We seen two series go all 5 games in the quarterfinals and then both series in the semifinals went the distance as well.

The two teams coming out of all of this were the #1 seed Los Angeles Kings (@Fiddy14) and the #3 seed Minnesota Wild (@tw0d1ce). The THL Stanley Cup Finals are a best of 7.

These two teams have a pretty good history against one another in past leagues, so going in we knew this could possibly go all 7 games.

The Wild came out flat in game 1, but found their game in the 3rd, down 2, tied it up and then won the game in OT 5-4.

Game 2 was a lot different from game 1, a very low scoring game, Kings scored the only goal in the 1st period and held on to a 1-0 win.

The series shifted to Minnesota, where they would hold down home ice and win both games 3 and 4 to put a strangle hold on this series up 3 games to 1.

The Kings still had some fight in them, battled back from a 2 goal disadvantage in game 5 to win and force a game 6.

Just like game 5, the Kings had to battle back from an early Wild lead and did just that by having a huge 3rd period and again forcing another game, this time a game 7, for all the marbles.

Game 7, the Kings dominated the flow of the game through periods 1 and 2. Then the 3rd started and the Wild turned it on. Scoring 3 quick goals and taking a commanding 4-1 lead with just 9:55 to go in the game. They could taste the cup.

After those 3 quick goals, the Kings somehow regrouped, scoring 3 of there own and tying the game at 4 with just 2 mins to play in the game. Who would want it more?

Neither team wanted it or so it seemed, after 3 complete 20 min OT periods, the 4th OT started. A few great chances for both teams, goalies making saves left and right. Then the Kings took a very dumb penalty around the 10 min mark of the 4th OT. Yet the Kings came out for the next faceoff and had a 2 on 1 SH, they messed it up and the Wild went the other way with their own 2 on 1 and they didnt mess it up, Guillaume Latendresse found the back of the net and won the THL Stanley Cup for the Minnesota Wild.

What a finish to a great season. It took 4 OT periods to declare a champion, just awesome stuff.

Congrats to @tw0d1ce and his Minnesota Wild, the THL (S2) Stanley Cup Champions.

THL Playoff Bracket below..

Here is a look at the THL Hall Of Fame Awards through 2 Seasons..

Season 3 signups have started and you can find the thread by going here. We will be using the new GM Connected mode (unless some major glitches keep us from using it).

After 2 successful seasons, @RynoAid thought it was a good idea to make the THL a Premier League, and he did just that. In order to be a part of the THL’s Premier League you have to upgrade your account to be a Premier Member. To upgrade your account so you can join Premier Leagues go here.

Hope to see all of you in the THL next season.

@Fiddy14 (THL Commish)

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