Time for a recap of the first three games of the playoffs. (I was super busy for a while there).

Northern Conference

Helsinki leads Moscow 2-1 – This series is still anyone’s call, although the Jokerit have won the last two games by identical 5-1 scores.

Game 1 (Moscow 6, Helsinki 5) – Moscow’s powerplay was incredible, scoring 5 times in 8 opportunities, but scrappy Helsinki kept coming and were in it right to end, trying to tie it against Alexander Salak in goal for the Dynamo.  Dustin Brown scored a goal and set up 5 others for Moscow and it was clear to Helsinki Coach Barry Trotz that they had to find a way to neutralize Brown and his linemates. They did in the next two games.

Game 2 (Helsinki 5, Moscow 1) – Helsinki scored four times in the first period and outshot the Dynamo 53-24 in the game. Brown scored a powerplay goal in the second period, but that’s all Moscow could manage against the Jokerit and goalie Henrik Lundquist. Paul Stastny fired 10 shots on Moscow’s goal and Eliezer Sherbatov scored twice.

Game 3 (Helsinki 5, Moscow 1) – The league-wide theme of lots and lots of penalties continued, but Helsinki’s penalty killers were flawless, shutting down Moscow’s PP units on 8 occasions. Lundquist was at the top of his game and old-timer Pavel Datsyuk did some damage for Helsinki, scoring two goals on 6 shots.

Under the radar so far – Steve Downie hasn’t made a mistake yet in the series it seems and linemate Boone Jenner (5 points in 3 games) has been the main beneficiary of Downie’s good work.

Looking ahead – Helsinki has been very successful against Moscow all series and the Dynamo needs to slow the tempo somehow. They need to set up in the Jokerit zone more often and limit odd-man rushes. Helsinki has a new injury to worry about: top line winger Alexander Radulov returned to his native Russia for Game 3 and got injured, but Trotz’ main challenge will be to keep the emotion pump pumping.

Copenhagen leads Gothenburg 2-1 – Drew Shore’s overtime winner in Game 1 is the pivotal moment of the series so far.

Game 1 (Copenhagen 3, Gothenburg 2) – Gothenburg took a nice 2-0 lead in front of the home fans, but the line of Drew Shore, Tomas Jurco and Stephen Weiss did them in with two goals in the second period and the Shore winner 9:02 in OT.

Game 2 (Gothenburg 6, Copenhagen 2) – Frolunda got back in their fans’ good graces with a resounding 6-2 win. Shore and Jurco were good again and accounted for the Trident goals, but Gothenburg was excellent. Adam Henrique, Cal Clutterbuck, Mikko Koivu, Petr Vrana and Jordan Eberle all had multi-point games. Before the first period ended, Trident tough guy Dalton Prout had instigated his second fight of the series with Frolunda bad boy Mark Fraser.

Game 3 (Copenhagen 4, Gothenburg 3) – Defensemen scored the first four goals of the game – Slava Voynov and Ian White getting long shots past Gothenburg goalie Pekka Rinne in the first period, and John Carlson and Marc-Eduoard Vlasic countering against Copenhagen’s Andres De La Garma. Copenhagen pulled ahead in the third period when Matthieu Perreault and Weiss scored, and De La Garma preserved the win from that point on.

Under the radar – Copenhagen’s defense crew has been careful and effective in moving pucks out of danger. Neither Erik Gustafsson, Dougie Hamilton nor White has yet to commit a turnover in the series. Kevin Bieksa, Dan Hamhuis and Prout have been only a tiny bit sloppier.

Looking ahead – Gothenburg needs a win in Denmark to regain home-ice advantage. And while Shore’s line has been killing them, Frolunda can’t overlook Copenhagen’s other lines, especially the ones centered by Brandon Dubinsky and highly touted teen Austin Matthews. The line of Henrique, Eberle and Vrana is G-burg Coach Randy Carlyle’s best defensive line and his best offensive line. He’d love to play them 60 minutes or more each game, but instead he’ll have to hope for the other lines to come through.

Minsk leads Dublin 3-0 – Dublin had their chance when Hussar maestro Nicklas Backstrom was injured on the opening faceoff of Game 2, but they haven’t been able to profit at all.

Game 1 (Minsk 6, Dublin 4) – Dublin goalie Cam Talbot came into the playoffs with a 91.8 save percentage, the best in the league and trophy-worthy if he had played a few more games, but Minsk chased him from the game with 6 goals including four long goals from four different defensemen. The home fans breathed easy throughout, with Minsk outshooting the Irish 44-15.

Game 2 (Minsk 5, Dublin 2) – On the opening faceoff between Minsk’s Nick Backstrom and Dublin’s Cody Hodgson, Backstrom hurt is wrist and his day was done. He did not return for Game 3 and won’t play in Game 4. The injury has broken up the Hussars’ highly successful forward lines and forced Coach Dave Tippett to do some juggling. Jordan Staal is on the top line now and Jacob Josefson will be asked to do his Staal impression between second-line wingers Gus Nyquist and Thomas Powell. No problem in Game 2, as Minsk overwhelmed Talbot and the Irish, outshooting them 41-24. The first four goals of the game – three of which were scored by Minsk – all came on powerplays. Staal scored a goal and led all skaters in shots with 7.

Game 3 (Minsk 4, Dublin 3) – With Brian Elliott in goal and the home fans behind them, the Fighting Irish made a much better game of it. Phil Kessel scored twice for Dublin and it was 2-2 when the third period started, but Michael Del Zotto tallied with 13:45 to play and Powell added insurance with a goal 5 minutes later. Dublin’s third goal was scored by Jakob Silfverberg with only 3 seconds left. Staal and Milan Lucic combined for 15 shots on goal for Minsk. Dublin defenseman James Wisniewski broke his wrist in the game and he is done for the series. Veteran Carlo Colaiacovo, who has played for five teams and has 25 playoff games for Helsinki under his belt, will replace Wisniewski.

Under the radar – Staal has been the star of the series after moving up to replace Backstrom, but Ryan McDonagh has contributed a lot of offense for the Hussars. The defenseman is tied with the Powell for the team lead in scoring with a goal and 3 assists. He also shares the team lead in plus-minus rating at plus 3.

Looking ahead –  Game 4 is a must-win for Dublin. Literally. They showed in Game 3 they can hang with Minsk and they need a little luck to prolong the series. Backstrom will probably be unfit for Game 5, and they might be able to steal a game in Belarus and give Tippett chest pains. James Van Riemsdyk of Dublin leads everyone from both teams in points in the series, but he and his mates have not been able to apply sustained pressure against the Hussar defense.

Belfast leads Stockholm 2-1. Belfast put together two perfect playoff games at home, winning 6-0, 6-0. If they can keep playing like that on Northern Irish ice, they will be golden.

Game 1 (Belfast 6, Stockholm 0) – The shots were close, the score was not. Nathan MacKinnon scored a pair of goals for the Giants and Jonathan Quick was perfect in goal, saving all 28 Eagles shots. Belfast’s one-two punch of centers Claude Giroux (1 goal, 3 assists) and Matt Duchene (7 shots, 1 assist) was too much for Stockholm.

Game 2 (Belfast 6, Stockholm 0) – Onlookers thought Stockholm looked disheartened after the Game 1 drubbing. They were outshot 47-20 and they yielded goal number 12 of the series with 6:07 left in the game. Everything was going Belfast’s way. In fact, even Vladimir Tarasenko scored. It took him until the second period of game number 82 to score his first goal of the regular season, but he looked sharp in making it 2-0 in the first period of Game 2. Now let’s see if linemate Mikael Granlund can score one. The Finn hasn’t tallied in at least his last 90 games. Giroux and Evander Kane each scored three points in the game for Belfast.

Game 3 (Stockholm 4, Belfast 3) – And suddenly, it’s a close series. The Eagles pulled themselves together after the drubbings in Belfast and are a game away from tying the series. Curtis Lazar turned the game around for Stockholm by scoring a pair of shorthanded goals against Quick in the second period and in the third period, Belfast self-destructed, taking 6 penalties in a 13-minute stretch. They did somehow get a shorthanded goal from Giroux to even the score, but Stockholm’s Ryan Johansen provided the game-winner to cap off a pretty passing play with Jack Eichel and Luke Adam. It was Johansen’s third point of the game.

Under the radar – In a series that has seen a lot of goals, the defensive work of Belfast blueliner Victor Hedman has been camouflaged a bit. He and partner Oliver Ekman-Larsson have helped goalie Quick often. Hedman has played tough but careful, with 14 hits, 3 takeaways and only one giveaway. Teammate Justin Faulk has similar defensive numbers and he’s contributed to the offense as well with a goal and 2 assists.

Looking ahead – A win on home ice in Game 4 for Stockholm would turn this series into a best-two-out-of-three affair. More is needed from the Eagles’ top forwards, especially David Krejci and Bobby Ryan who are both minus 8 and pointless through three games. The second line of Mats Zuccarello, Eric Staal and Brendan Gallagher has been OK in the series, but the Eagles need them to punch through for some goals.