There’s nothing quite like playoff hockey. Intense competition, an emphasis on defensive play, and… 12 goals? The defending champion Memphis RiverKings and Oklahoma City Blazers opened up their Northern Conference semi-final series Saturday at the DeSoto Civic Center, and combined for a dozen goals in a contest eventually won by the RiverKings. 12 goals in a regular season game is enough of a rarity already, but in a playoff game? The last time two teams combined to score twelve goals in a post-season contest was all the way back on April 9th, 1999, when Columbus topped Memphis by the same 7-5 score in the opening round of the playoffs.

Six other playoff games have been played this season, combing for a total of 30 goals, or an average of five per game. Why then did Game One between two of the top teams in the CHL turn into a shootout ? Memphis Coach Doug Shedden didn’t appear to mind the high scoring affair as long as his club won, telling the Memphis Commercial Appeal “"In a short series like this the first game is big, because getting down can be hard to come back from. We didn't play the best, but we got the win." His counterpart in Oklahoma City, Doug Sauter, felt his club didn’t deserve a win, stating "Too many mistakes tonight," to the Daily Oklahoman. "Before the game, I said we had to win three things: power plays, killing penalties and short-handed goals."

What to expect next between a match-up of the last two CHL champions? First, both clubs will have to tighten up defensively. The adage “defensive wins championships” doesn’t always apply, but it sure helps to keep the puck out of the net. With Games 2 and 3 in Oklahoma City, the Blazers have to be focused on winning both contests, or they will head to Memphis April 1st facing elimination, and that’s not a risk they want to take. The RiverKings would be thrilled to come away with a split in Oklahoma City, setting themselves up to win the series on home ice. As usual, the play of snipers Joe Burton from Oklahoma City and Don Parsons of Memphis will likely play a factor in the outcome, although expect the scores to more closely resemble 3-2 or 4-3 than the 7-5 posted in the series opener.

Momentum will be key to ultimately deciding who advances to the Northern Conference Finals, and Oklahoma City needs to take care of business on home ice. The Blazers traditionally get better as games continue, and will need to rely on their veteran savvy to ward off a hungry Memphis club that appears intent on defending their first ever championship.