Libor lays waste to Lokomotiv

HC Slovan Bratislava - Lokomotiv Yaroslavľ 3:2 (1:0, 1:2, 1:0)

Goals: 11. L. Hudáček (Bartovič, Bližňák), 32. Ľ. Višňovský (Štajnoch), 41. L. Hudáček (Vondrka, Bližňák) - 21. Galimov (Anisimov, S. Kronwall), 37. Hagman (S. Kronwall, A. Kaľužnyj)

Penalties: 8:7 (2 min), powerplay goals: 2:1, shorthanded goals: 0:0, officials: Vasiliev, Sergejev - Micheľ, Šichanov (all Rus.), attendance: 10 055 (sell out). 

Rosters:
HC Slovan: Janus - Ľ. Višňovský, Sigalet, Štajnoch, Švarný, Sersen, J. Tabaček - Bartovič, Bližňák, L. Hudáček - Michel Miklík, Ölvecký, Vondrka - Kukumberg, Kytnár, Dravecký - M. Daňo, A. Šťastný, T. Mikúš - 26. M. Bakoš
Lokomotiv Yaroslavľ: Kolesnik - Flood, S. Kronwall, Lepistö, V. Višnevskij, Guskov, Jakovlev, Amirov - Galimov, Anisimov, Plotnikov - Averin, Petrov, Černikov - A. Kaľužnyj, Apalkov, Hagman - Viktor Kozlov, Kartajev, Truňov

From the opening face-off, the game was a fast and furious one. In the 3^rd minute Lokomotiv were given a powerplay chance, and the puck bounced dangerous in front of Janus, but Lokomotiv couldn’t finish the play. Both teams were playing solid defensive hockey, not giving the forwards a lot of time on the puck. Šťastný went close to breaking the deadlock in the 10^th minute, but he just couldn’t get the puck past Kolesnik. However, a minute later, Libor Hudaček sped into the zone on the left wing, and fired a shot from the circle which went fizzing over Kolesnik’s shoulder, into the top corner of the net. The rest of the period emphasised just how close these two teams are, and Anisimov had the best chance, but Janus stood tall and made the saves.

Yaroslavl started the second period with a powerplay, and it didn’t take them long to capitalise. Defensive coverage was awry and Galimov had enough chances to eventually scramble the puck past Janus. Soon after, the away side had their second powerplay in quick succession, but this time HC SLOVAN Bratislava’s defence stood firm. In the 32^nd minute, HC SLOVAN were on the powerplay, and they were able to move back into the lead. Some fantastic play set up the first chance, but the forwards were wise to move the puck back to the point with Kolesnik out of position, and Štajnoch set up Ľ. Višňovský, whose one timer cannoned into the top corner of the net. However, Lokomotiv still had the driving spirit and eventually they would equalise before the end of the period. A good move by Lokomotiv set up Niklas Hagman, after patient work on the boards by Kalyuzhny and the set up by Kronwall. Janus was left with no chance.

It only took 33 seconds for HC SLOVAN to re-take the lead in the third period, as Libor Hudaček would find the back of the net for the second time in the game. HC SLOVAN’s powerplay clicked once more, and Michal Vondrka, after some great patient play on the puck, picked out Hudaček near the left half-boards and the young Slovak forward one timed the puck home. The dramatic ending to the game was characterised by Michal Vondrka going close twice to scoring in the empty net, and the sell out crowd rose to their feet to cheer their team, who put in an excellent performance against a top team in the Western Conference. The away fans were in a good mood following the game, and a group of around 200 congratulated the home fans, exchanged scarves and both chanted the name of the tragically deceased Pavol Demitra.

by Jon Rowson