Fine Home Game Yields Single Point

HC SLOVAN Bratislava - SKA St. Petersburg 1:2 (OT) (0:1, 0:0, 1:0 - 0:1) 

Goals: 52. C. Barker - 7. Koskiranta (Barabanov), 65. Ketov (Khokhriakov). Penalties: 6:4 (2 min.) + Chudinov (SKA) 10 min. (Checking to head and neck). Powerplay goals: 0:0, Shorthanded: 0:0. Officials: Odins (LAT), Radovin - Tomilov, Gordenko (RUS). Attendance:10,055.

Lineups: 
HC SLOVAN: Garnett - F. Novák, Barker, Starosta, Švarný, Sersen, Mihálik, L. Kozák - Viedenský, V. Nedorost, Kašpar - Jeglič, Tičar, L. Nagy - Bartovič, Protaseňa, Surový - S. Petráš ml., Lušňák, Skalický 
Petrohrad: Ezhov - A. Belov, Chudinov, Zubarev, Yakovlev, Khafizullin, Kuteikin, Rukavishnikov, Yudin - Lindström, Koskiranta, Barabanov - Dadonov, Shipachov, Burdasov - Ketov, Kablukov, Artyukhin - Ponikarovsky, Khokhriakov, Dergachiov 

Slovan showed little respect for the favourites at the start, but their lack of penetration beyond the blue line allowed Petersburg to put together combinations and threaten Garnett in the home net. In a Slovan powerplay in the 4th minute, Tičar lost the puck, then Švarný hesitated, letting Koskiranta in, but our Canadian goaltender pulled off a fine save. He also dealt with a finish from Dergachov soon after. In the 7th, however, the wide-open Koskiranta beat him at the second attempt after Barabanov's move - 0:1. St. Petersburg could have doubled their lead, but Garnett once again intervened, this time saving Chudinov's shot with the pad. The hosts failed to create serious pressure even in powerplays, with just a couple of efforts - from Švarný and Novák - keeping Ezhov on his toes. Late in the period, our first line likewise spurned a big chance from a three-on-one overlap.

Head Coach Miloš Říha mixed up the attacking lines from the second period, and it brought about a marked improvement. In the 23rd minute, Surový fired just over from the turn, while Nagy missed out after some active play from the first line, his first shot just missing, his second stopped by Ezhov. Half-way through the encounter, a pass from Jeglič behind the goal found his Slovene "twin" Tičar, but he criminally missed the open half of the net. Nevertheless, the hosts continued to pres their opponents; in the 37th, Surový skated on goal from the flank, but his shot went over the bar as well.

Slovan began the third period with two powerplays, allowing them to cage in the opposition, but Petersburg repelled everything, ably helped by Ezhov in the net. The game was then marked by a number of penalties, the technically gifted Nagy being a particular target of SKA fouls. In the 47th minute, already a man down, Tičar was penalised for putting the puck out, and the home side faced a long 3 v 5 penalty kill. But they survived! The excellent Garnett handled efforts from Koskiranta and Dadonov. The tension grew, Ezhov at pains to parry Surový's effort onto the post in the 50th. A minute later, and the sell-out arena finally erupted, as Barker's shot rebounded off the back boards and Ezhov somehow let it find its way into his net - 1:1. Slovan now felt they had a chance to pull off a famous victory, but they were forced to watch their back door. In the 55th, Ketov and Kablukov narrowly missed the target from promising positions.

And so, onto overtime. Barker's foul for interference weakened Slovan, but the Sky Blues held out thanks to Garnett, above all in keeping out Kuteikin. But late in the day, the home team failed to pick up Ketov, who collected from Dadonov and converted from up close, earning SKA St. Petersburg the extra point.