Penalty Shot Lottery Favours Torpedo

HC SLOVAN Bratislava - Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod 2:3 (SO) - (1:2, 1:0, 0:0 - 0:0, 0:1) 

Goals: 3. Bartovič (Baranka, Sersen), 36. L. Nagy (Sersen) - 16. Salminen (Immonen), 18. Immonen (Bernatsky, Potapov), deciding penalty shot: Immonen 

Penalties: 4:8 (2 min.), Powerplay goals: 1:1, Shorthanded: 0:0. Officials: Bulanov, Sergeyev - Balodis, Birin (all RUS). Attendance: 10,055.

Lineups: 

HC SLOVAN: Janus - Baranka, Sersen, Sigalet, Starosta, V. Mihálik, J. Brejčák - Vondrka, V. Nedorost, L. Nagy - L. Hudáček, Surový, Netík - Bartovič, Tičar, Murley - Ölvecký, Bližňák, Jeglič

Nizhny Novgorod: Kasutin - Hietanen, Bernatsky, Grigoriev, Valentenko, Babchuk, Khomitsky, Zharkov, Alyayev - Denis Kazionov, Galuzin, Krasnoslobodtsev - Wolski, Immonen, Salminen - V. Kulyomin, Dmitry Kazionov, Drugov - Dvurechensky, Potapov, Nokelainen 

Driven by the sell-out Slovnaft Arena crowd, Slovan made a positive start, and opened their account in just the 3rd minute - Kasutin appeared to underestimate Bartovič's shot from the left circle 1:0. The visitors threatened via quick breaks, the attack line of Wolski, Immonen and Salminen especially making themselves known. Slovan had the greater number of shots on goal, but failed to make use of a powerplay half-way through the period. Nizhny Novgorod managed to equalize in their own powerplay - Janus saved Immonen's lone effort, but the puck lay in front of goal, and Salminen was able to squeeze it under the bar 1:1. Torpedo came to life after the goal; in the 18th minute, a misplaced pass allowed Wolski to pick out Immonen from behind the net, and he beat Janus 1:2.

The 23rd minute saw Janus pull off an outstanding save to deny Immonen a certain goal. At the other end, Kasutin caught an effort from Tičar's break. Both teams were creating chances; there was plenty of excitement on the ice. A five-on-three powerplay in the 36th minute gave Slovan a chance, and the prolific Ladislav Nagy equalised from between the circles 2:2. Slovan settled in and could have gone ahead in the powerplay that followed. Then, late in the period, Libor Hudáček broke away, but the Torpedo goalie was alert enough to read his attempted feint.

The visiting team posed a threat in the third period - Slovan not only defended well, but also fashioned potent counter-attacks. Peter Ölvecký hit the post in the 47th minute, the puck rebounded into Kasutin, and the Torpedo goalie was able to save just in front of the line. The players fulfilled their defensive duties responsibly, neither team willing to make a telling error. Torpedo made nothing from a period of sustained pressure, while Slovan failed to create chances in a late powerplay. Thus, the game headed into overtime. Nagy was sent to the sin bin with 35 seconds left, but Slovan's defensive triumvirate stood firm, leaving penalty shots to decide the outcome. Jarkko Immonen scored the winner after Slovan had missed their opening shot.