SLOVAN GRABS IMPORTANT THREE POINTS!

HC SLOVAN Bratislava - Amur Khabarovsk 3:2 (0:0, 2:2, 1:0)

Goals: 24. A. Šťastný (M. Bakoš, Sigalet), 29. M. Bakoš, 48. L. Hudáček (Šatan, V. Mihálik) - 25. Tarasov (Lugin), 38. Krikunov (Dubinin, Smurov)

Penalties: 1:0 (2 min.), Powerplay Goals: 0:0, Shorthanded: 0:0. Officials: Gashilov, Odins - Birin, Zakharenkov. Attendance: 10,055.

Lineups:
HC SLOVAN: Janus - Škoula, Sigalet, Mojžíš, V. Mihálik, Štajnoch, J. Brejčák - Miklík, Bližňák, Vondrka - J. Mikúš, Ölvecký, Bartovič - Šatan, Radivojevič, L. Hudáček - T. Mikúš, A. Šťastný, M. Bakoš
Khabarovsk: Järvinen - D. Bykov, A. Loginov, Sedunov, V. Loginov, Reese, Teryayev, D. Yezhov - Shishkanov, Tarasov, Stepanov - Lugin, Fisenko, A. Yunkov - Smurov, Dubinin, Krikunov - Klimchuk, Teslenko, Kopiyenko

Slovan dominated the entire first period, Amur goaltender Järvinen certainly couldn’t complain for a lack of work. The home team combined well to create a number of promising chances and counter-attacks, but none of them found its way into the Amur net. At the other end, Janus was but seldom called upon.

It was Šťastný who opened the scoring in the 24^th minute, a nice combination with Bakoš ending with a shot through Järvinen’s pads – 1:0. But the visitors did not tarry with their riposte, Tarasov beating Janus from a quick move just 43 seconds later – 1:1. Half-way through the period, Bakoš put Slovan back in the lead, poking home at the second attempt from a scrimmage in front of goal - 2:1. Slovan’s fourth-line attack threatened again in the 32^nd minute, but Tibor Mikúš hit the crossbar. Miklík had a great chance a few minutes later, but flicked his backhand well over the target. But lighting struck at the other end as Krikunov finished off from a fast counter – 2:2.

The crucial goal came in the 48th minute – Hudáček deflected Šatan’s low shot past Järvinen, and Slovan had a lead they would relinquish no more. Amur did come close – Fisenko’s golden opportunity in the 50^th was saved by Janus, and the trusty goaltender caught Klimchuk’s shot a couple of minutes later. Slovan could have put daylight between the teams late on, but there were to be no more goals, and Slovan picked up a potentially crucial three points.