Round Two of the playoffs — where wishes come true and dreams start to die. Anything can happen in the PCOHL Playoffs, and usually does.

Early Game – Slovenia vs Italy

This was Regular Season Champ Slovenia’s first game after their first round bye. The Italians would be without their star, Steve Davis, but they are feeling pretty good after tying 2nd place Portugal in their first Round Robin contest.

Slovenia’s Dave Vincelli beat Italy’s Art Senkowski early on to put his squad up by a goal and teammate Dave Woodside doubled the lead with a goal at the 7-minute mark. Italy sighed with relief when sniper Dave Wodar cut the lead in half, but Woodside struck again a minute later to restore Slovenia’s two goal cushion. 3-1 for Slovenia after one.

Both goalies looked sharp in the second, turning away all chances until Vincelli picked up his second halfway through to make it 4-1 for Slovenia. Veteran D-man Steve Sparrow bulged the twine for Italy but Neil Wilson and Eddy Panetta returned fire for Slovenia before the period ended. 6-2 for Slovenia after two periods, this one starting to slip away from the Romans.

Italy showed real heart in this one, winning the third period with two goals from Ciro Napolitano and a single from Mike Rukavina against a pair from Slovenia’s Greg Platt, but it was too little too late. The surging Slovenians win their first game of the playoffs by a score of 8-5.

Slovenia’s Player of the Game goes to Dave Woodside, who put Italy in an early hole with his two first period goals. Kevin MacDougall steered the Italians through some rocky Slovenian waters to keep things respectable.

Late Game – Portugal vs Ireland

The late game featured Portugal — who held 1st place most of the season — against Ireland — who held last place for most of the season — but this is the PCOHL Playoffs and regular season results are just paper in the wind this time of year. Scotland’s goalie, Stu Henderson, subbing in for Ireland in this one.

No goals for the first half of the first period, both teams playing tight hockey. Dwayne Tygesen found the net at 8:54 and sniper Patty Sharp doubled the lead with four minutes to go. Portugal starting to pucker.

But Mike Russo made a nifty move on Henderson, freezing the Scottish keeper and putting a backhander upstairs with the peanut butter. Russo struck again with 16 seconds to go to end the first period a 2-2 tie. Portuguese fans passing the piri-piri and chanting Olé, Olé, Olé.

Sharp picked up his second with a laser over Cioffi’s shoulder early in the second and Jeff Boulton made it 4-2 for Ireland halfway through. Portugal continuing to play catch-up and failing to catch their stride. Scott Wilson narrowed the lead to 1, but the Italians go into period three with a 4-3 lead.

Dwayne Tygesen picked up his second of the game on a breakaway eight minutes into period three to give the Italians a 2-goal cushion — but Portugal’s Scott Wilson picked up his second, making it 5-4 with six minutes to go.

This is when things really heated up. Absolutely frantic action in the final minutes. After a time-out with 2 minutes to go, Portugal pulled their goalie and was absolutely buzzing around Ireland’s net. Chance after chance was turned away by substitute Stu Henderson with frantic action in front of his net right to the final second. But Henderson held fast for the Irish and rightfully earned their Player of the Game honours for anchoring a 5-4 win against the Portuguese, while Scott Wilson earns the cheers for the Lisbonites.

The playoffs take a two-week Easter Break now, returning on April 10 where the Irish squad will continue chasing their dream against the vaunted Slovenians at 8:15. Scotland and Portugal will play in the late show.