With the first four matches of Rainbow Six Siege DreamHack Montreal concluded, DarkZero Esports and Team Reciprocity are giving North American supporters hope.
Both North American teams handily dispatched of their opposition in the opening matches of the tournament today. Coming off of the Six Major Raleigh last month and the “NA Shuffle,” which saw teams make some massive roster and staff moves, North American supporters needed a win. DarkZero’s victory is a little less impressive since Father’s Back have had a winless first half of the Pro League season 10, but Reciprocity shined in their matchup against CHAOS.
DarkZero’s 2-0 win against the APAC invitee was to be expected but it doesn’t lessen the value of the victory. While it’s definitely a less impressive feat, the early win gives North America better odds of making it through to the finals. Rogue may have crushed it at DreamHack Valencia but the Six Major Raleigh still stings for North America. DarkZero will have to continue to boast a dominant presence in the winners match if they want to get by, and even then, they may have to go through fellow NA team Evil Geniuses.
Having to see DarkZero and EG go toe-to-toe may be upsetting for fans on both sides. With EG losing Troy “Canadian” Jaroslawski last weekend, the squad may have to get through some growing pains before they can best DarkZero. DarkZero and EG have some of the best support in the division and to see the two collide would be a great show that would ultimately lessen the NA presence at DreamHack Montreal.
CHAOS’ one-sided loss to Reciprocity is a much more surprising outcome—not necessarily that Reciprocity won, but how they did it. Reciprocity seemingly expended little effort in the victory. The squad could be seen smiling and relaxing after their first map win in the best-of-three. Given the relaxed nature of the match, it’s safe to say that Reciprocity are prepared for this tournament after a long hiatus.
Reciprocity swept CHAOS 2-0 in the end and showcased a dominant control over both Coastline and Consulate. While CHAOS are known for their late match comebacks, the EU division squad remained mostly quiet aside from a few rounds here and there on each map. Even in their victorious rounds, CHAOS seemed troubled by Reciprocity’s presence. The NA squad will need that same energy in their winners match if they’re forced to face Spacestation Gaming.
DarkZero and Reciprocity winning out early looks good for North America. While TSM also won their matchup against Soniqs, there’s nothing really to write home about in that victory. TSM have bested Soniqs in the Pro League and on LAN, making their advancement expected. If TSM succeed in their winners match, it’d be safe to say that they’d rank up top with DarkZero and Reciprocity.
G2 and FaZe Clan have yet to play in the tournament, however, and both squads pose immense threats to NA. While the North American division has a large presence at the minor, G2 have a knack for wiping the floor with North America. FaZe also look dangerous this year, so the toughest competition has yet to come.
The DreamHack Montreal Minor is just ramping up with plenty more action to come this weekend. Fans can catch the official onstage stream here.
