Deserved Victory in Nizhnekamsk!

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

Goals: 52. J. Alshevsky – 8. Nedorost (Bližňák, Baranka), 25. Tičar (Jeglič), 43. Netík (Nedorost)

Lineups:
Neftechimik Nižnekamsk: Sudnitsin (43. Kolppanen) – Eronen, Berezin, Yevseyenkov, Kosmachov, Belov, Guskov, Bryntsev, Mnichovich – Stapleton, Polygarov, Milovzorov – Hennessy, Korolyuk, Rybin – Zhukov, Kulikov, Stepanov – S. Alshevsky, Khokhriakov, J. Alshevsky
HC SLOVAN: Backlund (Janus) – Štajnoch, Sigalet, Baranka, Sersen (A), Foster, Starosta, Mihalik – Hudáček, Surový, Bartovič (C) – Vondrka, Nedorost, Netík – Nagy (A), Tičar, Jeglič – Bližňák, White, Lunter

Home team Neftechimik, aiming for an early lead, attempted to put pressure on Slovan right from the start, but our defence kept the hosts well away from Backlund. Slovan also handled their first penalty kill expertly, and won a powerplay of their own. We used the advantage to lock the home team into their zone, and when Baranka let fly a powerful shot, Nedorost was on hand in front of goal, skillfully knocking the puck into the net – 0:1. The Slovan second line then rang rings around Neftekhimik, but somehow couldn't get a shot away.  Štajnoch's holding penalty brought testing times for Backlund - Nizhnekamsk held the puck in our zone the whole two minutes and came close to an equalizer.

In the 22nd minute, Vondrka put in Netík, who fired off a rocket, Sudnitsin just managing to smother at the second attempt. Three minutes later, the Slovan bench raised its arms a second time - Jeglič and Tičar broke away two-on-one, and the former's excellent pass allowed his Slovene teammate to beat Sudnitsin – 0:2. The hosts then played several minutes without possession of the puck, bringing cat whistles from the home fans. Slovan defended carefully, not allowing Neftekhimik a sniff, even in another powerplay. But our opponents' first line could have clawed one back late in the second period, but Milovzorov once again found Backlund in his way.

Slovan also started the third period well - Martin Štajnoch picked out former Neftekhimik player Tomáš Netík, and his accurate swipe from an angle whistled past Sudnitsin, who was then replaced by Kolppanen - 0:3. Five minutes later, Backund shone again, this time spreading himself well to deny Polygalov. Our goalie was largely untroubled, neither Berezin nor Milovzorov able to convert even from up close. The clean sheet lasted until the 53rd minute - despite having a powerplay, a Slovan defensive error on their own blue line gifted the puck to Alshesvky, who snapped up the chance - 1:3. Nefteknimik kept gnawing away until the end, but no further goals came, and Slovan leaves Nizhnekamsk with all three points. 

Petri Matikainen: We played a good game - we were organised, we concentrated, and played as a team almost the whole 60 minutes apart from a couple of mistakes. We prepared well for the game, and the players kept to the plans we set for them before the game. I'm glad that we're starting to play the way we want to play. We're really pleased to have picked up another three points on the road.