HOME SERIES ENDS ON A HIGH NOTE!

HC SLOVAN Bratislava - Avangard Omsk 3:1 (0:0, 2:1, 1:0) 

Goals: 35. Bartovič (Škoula), 39. Ölvecký (Mojžíš), 50. Miklík (L. Hudáček) - 27. D. Siomin (S. Kostitsyn). Penalties: 3:4 (2 min.) +  S. Kostitsyn (Omsk) 10 min. + game misconduct (dissent). Powerplay goals: 1:0, Shorthanded: 0:0. Officials: Anisimov, Olenin - Michel, Shikhanov (all RUS). Attendance: 10,055.

Lineups: 
HC SLOVAN: Kopřiva (32. Janus) - Škoula, Sersen, Sigalet, Kutlák, Štajnoch, Mojžíš - Miklík, Bližňák, Vondrka - Netík, J. Mikúš, Bartovič - Kukumberg, Ölvecký, L. Hudáček - M. Daňo, A. Šťastný, T. Mikúš 
Avangard: Garon - Kulyash, Pivtsakin, Baranka, Blaťák, Goncharov, Lyamin, Vorobyov - S. Kostitsyn, D. Siomin, S. Shirokov - Perezhogin, A. Popov, Kazakov - A. Ivanov, Kuryanov, Badyukov - Pianov, Zherebtsov, Berdnikov

The visitors started with verve, helped by an early powerplay against Netík. Kostitsyn was slow to react to a chance in the 2^nd minute. Kopřiva did well to outsmart Perezhogin on the break in the 5^th minute, and saved from Popov in the 8th. Half-way through the period, Bližňák and Bartovič threatened at the other end, but it was Kopřiva who again impressed in the 14^th minute, when Shirokov’s cross picked out Siomin. Kutlák did come close from the left side just before the siren, but it was Avangard who deserved the lead at the break.

Slovan began the second period with greater intensity, but Bartovič, Ölvecký and Šťastný were all frustrated by Omsk goalie Garon. Avangard came close in the 24^th minute, Kopřiva blocking a first-time shot from Kostitsyn after Shirokov’s dab. They opened the scoring in the 27^th - a fluid exchange between Kostitsyn and Sionin allowed the latter to beat Kopřiva from between the circles – 0:1. The Sky Blues goalie was soon out of action, suffering a likely groin injury in a goalmouth scramble that nearly saw the visitors double their lead. But substitute Janus set up perfectly – Blaťák’s bomb in the 34^th minute hit the post, and the puck found the metalwork again soon after. Kazakov’s penalty for hooking in the 35^th minute was soon punished by a solo effort from stalwart captain Bartovič – 1:1. The score turned decisively in favour of the home team four minutes later - Mojžíš fed the advancing Ölvecký, and his shot through Pivtsakin found the net – 2:1.

Avangard applied pressure in the final period, Janus saving from Popov and stopping Blaťák’s approach, while Garon kept out Bartovič immediately after. A penalty against Lyamin gave Slovan the chance of an insurance goal, but that didn’t come until after the powerplay. In the 50^th minute, Hudáček picked out Miklík from distance, whose first effort hit the post, but he followed up and found the net at the second attempt – 3:1. In the 55^th minute, Avangard did have the puck in the net, but a penalty had already been called against Kostitsyn, whose subsequent protests earned him a game misconduct penalty.

Rostislav Čada: “In the first period we didn’t have enough movement, and weren’t effective in the man-to-man duels.  Then we gradually got better, created shooting opportunities, and were 100% effective in seizing on our opponents’ mistakes. In the final period our active defense enabled us to protect our lead. Eight points from twelve in four home games is definitely a positive outcome. Our goalie Kopřiva got a knock – even he didn’t know how it had happened. Now he’s in the hands of the doctors. We’ll know more about his status later.”