OVERTIME DEFEAT IN NIZHNEKAMSK

Neftechimik Nizhnekamsk – HC SLOVAN Bratislava 4:3 OT (2:0, 0:3, 1:0, 1:0)

Goals: 5. Taratukhin (Trunyov, Belousov), 11. Polygalov, 49. Mamashev, 62. Polygalov – 22. J. Mikúš (Ölvecký), 30. Šatan (Sigalet), 37. Šatan (Radivojevič

Lineups:
Neftechimik: Dalton – Yarullin, Belov, Mamashev, Berezin, Kosmachyov, Romanov, Belyakov, Shulakov – Koukal, Milovzorov, Netík – Polygalov, Khokhryakov, Tolpeko – Taratukhin, Trunyov, Belousov – Kulikov, J. Alshevsky, S. Alshevsky
HC SLOVAN Bratislava: Kopřiva (Janus) – Sigalet, Škoula, Trončinský, Mihálik, Štajnoch, Mojžíš, Brejčák – Miklík, Bližňák, Vondrka – Bartovič, J. Mikuš, Ölvecký – Šatan, Hudáček, Radivojevič – T. Mikuš, Mráz, Matoušek – Šťastný

Neftechimik started the more active in the second encounter between the teams inside two weeks. Kopřiva managed to keep out the home team’s early salvos, but conceded the first goal in the 5^th minute – Belousov seized on Štajnoch’s clearance and Tatukhin’s shot put the hosts in front – 1:0. Milovzorov had a promising chance in the 9^th, but Kopřiva’s save kept Slovan in the game. The bar then saved Kopřiva during a powerplay, but he couldn’t keep out Polygalov’s longer shot soon after – 2:0 – following which Janus took his place in goal. And he was called on immediately to stamp out chances from the home forwards, shooting from between the circles. Bartovič finally managed to test Dalton at the other end, and Sigalet’s effort late on only just missed the target.

The start of the second period was a different story for Slovan. Within two minutes, Ölvecký won a faceoff in the attacking zone and pushed the puck to Juraj Mikúš to finish from up close – 2:1. When Czech forward Koukal exited the sin bin he was able to break straight away, but couldn’t hit the target under pressure. There followed a Nizhnekamsk powerplay, where Janus made further courageous saves off Berezin and Khokhryakov. Vondrka and Miklík then had chances in a Slovan powerplay, but the hosts were saved by a slice of luck. Nevertheless, while shorthanded in the 29^th minute, Miro Šatan found space, sold Dalton the dummy, went round the net and buried the puck – 2:2. The equalizer brought about an increase in tempo and both goalies were required to repel a number of dangerous attacks. Šatan topped off a great middle period with a powerplay goal, patiently awaiting the rebound and slotting home for his second of the night – 2:3.

Early in the third, Trunyov’s shot whistled past the post, to the relief of Janus, as Nizhnekamsk applied pressure in the first half of the period, Slovan having to defend two penalties in succession. We managed to stand firm in the first, but Mamashev capitalized on the pressure in the second – 3:3. In the 52^nd, Šatan turned would-be provider, setting up Brejčák, but Dalton saw it well. Nizhnekamsk couldn’t make anything count either, so the game headed into overtime.

The hosts made the better of the four-on-four play, and Polygalov broke away after 90 seconds to give Nizhnekamsk the two points.

Rostislav Čada: We started the game badly today. An improved second period allowed us to turn the game around. The reason we didn’t earn more than one point here in Nizhnekamsk is that we played a couple of poor penalty kills where we conceded two goals, and of course a decisive error in overtime.