Goal Fest Favours Dinamo

HC SLOVAN Bratislava - Dinamo Minsk 4:6 (2:2, 1:2, 1:2)

 Goals: 17. Hudáček (Nagy), 20. Jeglič (Netík, Tičar), 36. Nagy (Hudáček, Murley), 47. Tičar (Barker) - 3. Razvadovskyy (Krajíček), 15. Ellison (Vesce, Linglet), 26. Szczechura (Bailen), 35. Ellison (Cheechoo, Bailen), 42. Krajíček (Szczechura), 48. Stepanov (Linglet). Officials: Belyayev, Bondar - Menshikh, Fateyev.

Penalties: 5:6, Powerplay goals: 3:1, Shorthanded: 0:0. Attendance: 7,856.
      
HC SLOVAN Bratislava: Godla – Sersen, Starosta, Štajnoch, Barker, Brejčák, Kozák, Mihálik – Šťastný, Surový, Ölvecký - Nagy, Murley, Hudáček - Netík, Tičar, Jeglič - Kudrna, White, Lunter
Dinamo Minsk: Taylor – Krajíček, Goroshko, Bailen, Nogachov, Lisovets, Svarny, Kaznadei – Cheechoo, Szczechura, Kalyuzhny – Vesce, Ellison, Linglet – Gavrus, Kulakov, Meleshko – Stepanov, Kitarov, Razvadovsky

      
Slovan did not make the ideal start to the game. Godla, making his second KHL start in goal, conceded in just the 3rd minute, Razvadovsky's shot getting through him - 0:1. Šťastný was then penalised, causing the hosts to stay on the back foot. They still managed to get into a scrummage in the Dinamo goalmouth, but couldn't force the puck over the line. After six minutes, their first powerplay enabled the home team to exert some pressure, but Taylor managed to deny Nagy. Netík could have equalised in the 12th, but his smash also found Taylor in the way. A mistake by Mihálik then gave Dinamo the chance to go two up, but Godla did well to read Kulakov's dummy. The second line created a chance three minutes later, however, and this time Godla conceded, Ellison with the finish - 0:2. Szczechura hit the post soon after, but Slovan, refusing to shoulder arms, had drawn level by the end of the period. First, in a powerplay in the 17th minute, Hudáček cleaned up after Nagy's shot, then 13 seconds from the siren, Jeglič equalised in another powerplay - 2:2.
      
Early in the second period, four-on-four play brought the go-ahead goal for Minsk. Bailen crossed from the right, to find Szczechura in the left circle, and his first-time shot hit the target - 2:3. The following period brought few chances, most of the action taking place on centre ice and by the boards. Slovan created but few opportunities, the visitors enjoying most of the play. In the 34th minute, a Dinamo powerplay brought the fourth - Cheechoo played to Ellison on the blue line, and his effort ended up in the net - 2:4. The Sky Blues also capitalised on another powerplay in the 37th, as Nagy made it three scores from four powerplays - 3:4.
      
The goal fest continued in the final period. First Krajiček restored the visitors' two-goal advantage in the 42nd minute. Five minutes later, Tičar finished off from a rebound to pull one back - 4:5, but Dinamo scored the final goal of the tie in the 48th. Stepanov skated into the zone and shot past Godla from the right circle - 4:6. The Sky Blues continued to fight for a dramatic finale, but were unable to make further changes to the scoreline.