Slovan sheds points late in the game

Ak Bars Kazan – HC SLOVAN Bratislava 4:3 (2:2, 0:0, 2:1)

Goals: 17. Paigin (Mirnov, Kostitsyn), 18. Medvedev (Azevedo, Petrov), 52. Pesonon (Paigin), 57. Varnakov – 10. Nagy (Nedorost), 12. Murley (Sigalet), 45. Vondrka (Jeglič)

Lineups:

Ak Bars: Nilsson (Garipov) – Musin, Medvedev (A), Korneyev, Nikulin (A), Paigin, Heshka, Rylov, Denisov – Pesonen, Azevedo, Petrov – Lukoyanov, Svitov (C), Obukhov – S. Kostitsyn, Malykhin, Mirnov – Möller, Burmistrov, Varnakov
HC SLOVAN: Backlund (Janus) – Baranka, Sersen (A), Sigalet, Starosta, Mihalik, Brejčák, Luža – Vondrka, Nedorost, Nagy (A) – Hudáček, Surový, Netík – Bartovič (C), Tičar, Murley – Ölvecký, White, Jeglič

Slovan started the final game of their first road trip in determined fashion, keeping the home stars from making any attacking inroads. Backlund was eventually tested in the 6th minute, but had no trouble blocking the effort from former Lev Praha forward Azevedo. After that it was all Slovan. First to test Nilsson with a powerful effort was Brejčák. Then a powerplay in the 10th saw Ladislav Nagy skate superbly all the way up the ice and slot between Nilsson's pads - 0:1. Two minutes later and the lead was doubled, Matt Murley opening his Slovan account with a precise finish 0:2. Čada's charges then failed to make use of a powerplay, and the backlash soon came – Paigin sent Kostitsyn's accurate pass beyond Backlund - 1:2. Just a minute later and a defensive error handed Medvedev the equaliser from up close - 2:2.

Awarded a penalty shot for a trip, Slovan could have regained the lead early in the second period, but Bartovič couldn't bring about the finish. The contest was then concentrated on centre ice, and neither side created scoring chances. Ölvecký did make a solo effort in the 32nd minute, managing to get a shot away, but he only found Nilsson's pads. Nedorost and Vondrka - our pair from České Budejovice - also combined to create an opening, but the former's pass was cut off at the last moment.

The final act started with a fruitless Slovan powerplay, while at the other end, the visitors had to stay on guard as the Kazan first line finally came to life, pitching camp in our defensive zone. In the 45th minute, Žiga Jeglič broke away from the home defence, spotted Vondrka in front of goal and set him up to shoot Slovan back into the lead - 2:3. We held onto that lead until the 53rd minute, when Jane Pesonen let fly an unstoppable shot into the top corner - 3:3. Just three minutes from the end, Kazan's fourth line put Slovan under pressure, and Varnakov - aided by a slice of luck - decided the game in favour of Ak Bars Kazan - 4:3.

Rostislav Čada: "I think we've witnessed a fast and hard-fought game, with both teams playing well in defence and attack. We lost the game from two similar situations, when we conceded two goals in quick succession, and that's what decided it in the home side's favour."