TSM defeat Golden Guardians in first fully online LCS game since April

TSM took down Golden Guardians today in the first fully online LCS game in over three months, after three undisclosed staff members associated with LCS teams tested positive for COVID-19. TSM won the game in just 30 minutes, reminding fans of the team’s knack for success in online matchups during the last two splits. 

TSM played exceptionally well in the familiar setting, steadily ramping up a gold lead throughout the game before breaking out for two huge teamfight wins towards the end of the match.

The team’s jungler, Spica, found immense success against Golden Guardians by putting Gwen in an unusual position on the Rift, and today’s game marked the champion’s fifth appearance in the jungle role this split. The second-year TSM star put up a scoreline of 8/2/9 on the day while participating in 85 percent of TSM’s kills during the contest. 

Still, despite the play on the Rift, the major storyline of the game—and for the next two days—revolves around how LCS pro players are suddenly re-adapting to online play. 

The LCS decided to return to an online format “out of an abundance of caution” yesterday, after playing the first seven weeks of the Spring Split at the LCS Studio in Los Angeles. COVID-19 cases are rapidly rising in the United States, with the nation seeing a 173 percent increase in the number of cases over the course of the last two weeks, according to the New York Times. It’s not clear exactly when the players will return to the studio, but the league announced that online play will be the norm throughout at least the rest of the weekend.