LEV 5:2 VTZ | Lev Praha - Vityaz Podolsk (KHL)

KHL

Dinamo Minsk – Traktor

2:5 (end)

Lev – Vityaz

5:2 (end)

final

Lev Praha

5:2 (1:0, 0:1, 4:1)

Vityaz Podolsk

Wednesday 30.01.2013, 19:00 • Tipsport Arena, Prague • KHL

		Lev Praha's dominance was finally rewarded in the third period, as they scored 4 times en route to a 5-2 win to close out their home schedule. The win gives them 66 points with 4 games left. They're still 9th in the conference, 2 points back of both Dinamo Minsk and Donbass Donetsk, but hold a game in hand on both. The loss virtually finishes Vityaz Chekhov. (21:32:38)
	60:00	Game over.
	59:35	Slapper from the point by Brian Fahey caught and held by Popperle.
	59:31	Timeout Vityaz.
	59:31	Popperle covers the puck for a faceoff.
	59:19	Another Vityaz power play as Jakub Krejcik gets called for hooking, then a 10-minute misconduct as he smashes his stick on the boards. This game is done, in any event.
	57:30	Goal for Vityaz! YEVGENI TIMKIN puts the puck in on a scramble as Vityaz cashes in on the power play.
	57:03	Petr Vrana gets 2 minutes for slashing and then a 10-minute misconduct after the whistle. Power play Vityaz.
	57:00	Goal for Lev! Nicklas Danielsson's pass from the corner is tipped in by JIRI NOVOTNY. Assists: Nicklas Danielsson, Nathan Oystrick.
	56:33	Tomas Popperle became a little too casual with the puck behind the net and almost led to a goal, he coughed it up but got back in time to stop Anton Korolyov's shot. Korolyov complained about something and received a 10-minute misconduct.
	56:02	Offsetting minors for Jakub Nakladal and Artyom Panarin--didn't see what caused that call but the teams will play 4-on-4.
	55:00	...with Mikus caught deep, Vityaz came back 3-on-2. Stepanek made the save and covered the rebound.
	54:50	Juraj Mikus pinches and feeds Gynge in front, whose shot is stopped in close...
	54:17	Icing Vityaz. The intensity seems to be out of this game now as Vityaz doesn't have much fight left in them.
	52:54	Vityaz comes down the ice and a shot attempt by Kudinov hits a Lev stick and goes out of play. Faceoff inside.
	52:30	Juraj Mikus's shot from the point hit the side of the net just as the penalty expired.
	51:30	Lev passing around the perimeter but not really shooting, one attempt was blocked . . .
	50:28	Lev going to the power play now. Yakov Seleznyov called for interference in his own end.
	49:43	Goal for Lev! The floodgates have opened. Lev much more active on the ice now while Vityaz players seem to be standing around. JAKUB NAKLADAL takes a pass as he slides in from the point and fires a wrister inside the post. Assist: Martins Cipulis.
	47:22	Goal for Lev! Off the draw, RICHARD GYNGE snaps a beautiful shot over Lisutin's glove to give Lev a 2-goal lead. Assist: Jiri Novotny.
	47:19	Vityaz called for icing for the 4th time in less than 2 minutes. They seem to be just hanging on now.
	47:11	Jiri Sekac knocked to the ice by Denis Sergeyev into the boards, no penalty, then Vityaz gets called for another icing.
	46:30	High shot Tomas Surovy, blocker save Ivan Lisutin.
	46:00	Icing Vityaz again. They were coming on for a while. But that last goal seems to have deflated them, even though they're only down 1.
	45:27	Icing Vityaz.
	44:15	Vityaz shoot-in goes high and over the glass. Faceoff outside.
	43:47	Now Sekac rips a slapper and Lisutin makes a big glove save. Play swinging back to Lev's direction again.
	43:23	No goal. It apparently hit the bottom of the crossbar and stayed out. Faceoff in the Lev zone, as the play had moved down to that end before play was stopped.
	43:23	Michal Birner's high shot hits the crossbar OR went in and out quickly. They're now reviewing it.
	42:52	Goal for Lev! NICKLAS DANIELSSON pulls the lacrosse move from behind the net and scores over Lisutin's shoulder! They're now showing it on the scoreboard and fans are giving him a standing ovation. Assist: Richard Gynge.
	42:28	Offside Lev on the pass. Faceoff at centre ice.
	41:58	Puck hits the netting above the glass in the Vityaz zone, faceoff inside.
	41:40	After the puck is shot high on a Vityaz rush, there's a scramble in front of Popperle. He's screened but the puck hits him and is cleared.
	40:33	Nathan Oystrick with a high slapper deflected away by Lisutin--that'll be Oystrick's 5th shot of the game.
	40:01	Start of 3rd period.
	40:01	Start of 3rd period.
		Teams have returned to the ice and the 3rd period will begin shortly.
		The second period picked up pretty much where the first left off, with Lev dominant but with a slim 1-0 lead. Around the middle of the period, though, Vityaz started showing signs of life and eventually tied the game on a lucky bounce. The score is 1-1 after 2 periods despite a huge disparity in play. Shots on goal in the 2nd period (and game): Lev 13 (31), Vityaz 6 (7). 3rd period begins at 20:46 CET, 14:46 EST.
	40:00	2nd period finished.
	39:56	Icing Vityaz.
	39:47	Pass attempt on a Lev rush misses its intended target and slides harmlessly to Lisutin, who covers.
	39:30	Low shot from Vityaz captain Alexei Badyukov hits Popperle's stick and goes out of play. Faceoff in the Lev zone.
	39:23	Offside Vityaz.
	38:41	Lisutin had trouble with Jakub Krejcik's shot from the point, juggling it, but eventually covers.
	38:29	Offside Lev.
	38:02	Icing Vityaz.
	37:21	Icing Lev.
	37:00	Vityaz did a good job of puck possession on that power play, but scoring chances limited. Play continues . . .
	35:47	Artem Panarin tees up a slapper through traffic, save Popperle, puck then cleared down the ice.
	34:52	Jakub Nakladal hits Josh Hennessey from behind into the boards, and Hennessey was down, needing assistance. Nakladal is fortunate to get only 2 minutes for boarding. Vityaz to the power play.
	34:25	Now a slapper from the point by Khafizullin, pad save Popperle. Vityaz is awake now for sure.
	34:19	Yevgeni Timkin with a shot on the rush, glove save Tomas Popperle, who holds on.
	33:37	Goal for Vityaz! A pinball shot from the point by YAKOB SELEZNYOV goes off a Lev skate and in. You had a feeling something like that was going to happen.
	32:27	Another chance for Lev, Tomas Rachunek with a rare shift and he almost poked in a loose puck but Ivan Lisutin once again kept it out.
	32:10	Anton Korolev with a hard hit on Sekac.
	31:40	Michal Repik attempts a wrap-around but the puck slides through the crease and out the other side.
	30:40	Back the other way, Lisutin comes out and covers the puck again.
	30:05	First good scoring chance for Vityaz, Denis Sergeyev with the initial shot followed by a scramble in front, Popperle had to be sharp, play continues.
	29:37	Lisutin covers another loose puck in the Vityaz zone. What a game he's having.
	29:09	Puck into the Vityaz bench, faceoff at the Lev blueline.
	28:09	It is indeed no goal--the ruling is it was directed in with Nakladal's skate.
		There is now a video review, the only thing I can think is they think Nakladal kcked it in, but I don't think so.
	28:09	ncredible effort from Jakub Nakladal. 1 on 2, he shot the puck, Lisutin stopped it but he beat both defenceman and put in the rebound. But there's a video review coming up.
	27:30	Vityaz rush, Yevgeni Timkin tries to slip the puck in on the short side but Popperle denies him.
	26:11	And Lisutin with another save and stops play. Official shot count is now 24-2.
	25:59	Nemec's slapshot is stopped by Lisutin just as the penalty ends.
	25:12	Offside Lev.
	24:40	One-time attempts from Danielsson and Oystrick are both stopped by Ivan Lesutin, then they dig away at the rebound but can't put it in and a gathering after the whistle. Faceoff outside.
	24:15	Jiri Sekac's high wrister hits Lisutin in the mask and play is stopped. He's shaken up but seems to be ok. 1:41 left in the penalty.
	23:56	Now Vityaz is called for too many players on the ice, so Lev's got another chance on the power play.
	23:48	Vityaz clears it the length of the ice just as the penalty ends.
	23:08	Shoot-in caught and held by Lisutin, :39 left in the penalty.
	23:02	Shot from Gynge, stopped by Lisutin, the puck eventually goes into the Lev bench, faceoff outside.
	21:47	And now Anton Korolev gets called for interference in the attacking zone. Lev to the power play, they're 0/3 so far.
	21:30	Juraj Mikus flattens Aynars Podzinsh against the boards in the neutral zone.
	20:30	Icing Vityaz.
	20:01	Start of 2nd period.
		Teams have returned to the ice and the 2nd period will begin shortly.
		In other games key to the Western Conference playoff race, Donbass beat Amur 4-1, CSKA over Severstal 3-2 (OT), Atlant over Torpedo also 3-2 (OT), and Traktor over Dinamo Minsk 5-2. The updated standings look like this: 5 Severstal 78 points (4 games remaining) 6 Slovan 71 (5 gr) 7 Dinamo Mn 68 (3 gr) 8 Donbass 68 (3 gr) ----------------------------------------------------------------- 9 Lev 63 (5 gr) 10 Atlant 63 (4 gr) 11 Torpedo 60 (4 gr) 12 Vityaz 55 (5 gr)
		A dominant period from Lev, but it took a shorthanded goal in the final minute of the period for them to finally get on the board. Shots on goal: Lev 18, Vityaz 1.
	20:00	1st period finished.
	19:52	Puck out of play in the Vityaz zone. Faceoff outside.
	19:06	Goal for Lev! Shorthanded goal. On a 2 on 1, Birner feeds PETR VRANA, whose quick shot beats Lisutin to the short side. Assist: Michal Birner, Jakub Nakladal.
	18:50	Tomas Surovy does a good job of penalty killing . . ..
	17:45	Dinar Khafizullin gets Vityaz's first shot, a slapper from the point that hits Popperle's pad . . .
	17:15	Nathan Oystrick called for interference, impeding a Vityaz player from winning a race to the puck in the Lev zone, and Vityaz goes to the power play for the first time. They're still looking for their first shot, according to official stats.
		By my count, which is unofficial, Vityaz is still without a shot on goal in this game.
	16:05	Another Lev rush followed by another mad scramble in the crease, finally Lisutin able to cover.
	14:57	Martins Cipulis with a shot on a rush, stick save Lisutin.
	14:35	Vityaz back at full strength. . .
	13:49	Petr Vrana with a shot along the ice from the top of the slot, Lisutin stops and covers. :42 left in the penalty.
	13:20	Vityaz ices, Lev starts back.
	12:41	Oystrick with a big slapper from the point caught and held by Lisutin. He's got a lot of power play time the last couple games.
	12:31	Lev going back to the power play as Nikita Dvurechensky gets called for hooking. Coincidentally, he served the Gillies major, so he's right back to the box. Lev 0/2 on the PP so far but with a few good chances.
	11:59	Nathan Oystrick with a point shot, a couple of whacks at the rebound in front and finally Lisutin gets a whistle. :18 left in the Lev power play.
	10:45	Lev back at full strength and back to the power play.
	09:50	Puck out of play, faceoff in Vityaz zone. :54 seconds more of 4-on-4.
	09:30	Marcel Hossa re-directs a shot from Tomas Surovy that almost eluded Lisutin.
	08:44	The teams will play 4 on 4 for the next 2 mintues as Michal Repik gets whistled for slashing in the attacking zone.
	08:40	Another scramble around the Vityaz net and another whistle. 3:37 left in the major penalty.
	08:31	Richard Gynge with a low wrister, Listuin stops and holds.
	08:20	Nathan Oystrick wit;h a blast from the point, stopped . . .
	07:17	Finally Trevor Gillies is assessed a major penalty and game misconduct for spearing. He continues to yap at Birner as he leaves. I can hear him but can't repeat what he's saying. Big chance for Lev to open the scoring.
	07:05	Birner and Trevor Gillies with a real battle along the boards, they get their sticks up on each other, no penalty indicated and play continues...
	06:25	Michal Birner, with the winning goal Monday, takes a low shot on a rush, stick save Lisutin.
	05:37	Ondrej Nemec's point shot stopped, the rebound remained loose in the slot for a while, and finally the puck is deflected out of play. Faceoff in the Vityaz zone.
	05:26	Icing Vityaz.
	04:23	A couple more Lev shots, then they're called for intentional offside as the puck was touched and the linesman felt he knew he was offside. Faceoff in the Lev zone.
	03:40	Mathias Porseland's low wrister is deflected on the way and Listutin makes a pad save, the game's first shot on goal.
	03:02	Play is called after the Vityaz net was dislodged following a collision. Still no shots on goal by either team. Faceoff inside.
	02:10	Ivan Lisutin covers a puck beside the net. Still no official shots by either team.
	01:10	Yakov Seleznyov takes a slapper from the blueline that misses the net, still no shots by either team.
	00:01	Game started.
		The national anthems of the Russian Federation and Czech Republic have been played and the opening faceoff is moments away.
		Starting lineups: Lev Praha: Pöpperle (Kocián) - Oystrick, Nakládal, Lepistö, Němec, Mikuš, Porseland, Krejčík - Danielsson, Novotný, Gynge - Birner, Vrána, Řepík - Sekáč, Surový, Hossa - Cipulis, Karamnov, Niživijs - Rachůnek. Vityaz Chekhov: Lisutin (Peretyagin) - Seleznyov, Khafizullin, Golovkov, Malevich, Kudinov, Fahey, Tatalin, Dvurechensky - Panarin, Badyukov, Timkin - Podzinš, Hennessy, Korolyov - Sergeyev, Tikhomirov, Kulyomin - Gillies, Chernov, Belousov. Referees: Gashilov, Kadyrov - Metalnikov, Sirotkin.
		HC LEV played its first road game of the season in Chekhov on September 13, and on Monday they will face the same team in their last home game. The magnitude of the two contests is starkly different. The game back in September was a goaltending duel between Tomáš Pöpperle and Ivan Kasutin that remained scoreless until Erik Christensen scored in the 57th minute. The 2-0 win was Pöpperle´s second-straight shutout--he now has 5 while Kasutin has 1. Having played in 30 of his team´s games so far, Kasutin is the likely starter for Chekhov on Wednesday, while it remains to be seen if Václav Sýkora gives Jakub Štěpánek a second-straight start after winning on Monday. Lev fans are still talking about Monday´s game, a thrilling 5-4 win over Severstal Cherepovets in which they overcame a 3-0 first period deficit. It was the importance of the game that added to the drama, as Lev, in desperate need of points to reach a playoff spot, ended a five-game losing streak. Their situation is almost as desperate on Wednesday. The picture is complicated. Here is what the standings look like heading into action on Wednesday, keeping in mind a win in regulation time is worth three points and the season is 52 games long: 5 Severstal 77 points (5 games remaining) 6 Slovan 71 (5 gr) 7 Dinamo Mn 68 (4 gr) 8 Donbass 65 (4 gr) ----------------------------------------------------------------- 9 Lev 63 (5 gr) 10 Atlant 61 (5 gr) 11 Torpedo 59 (5 gr) 12 Vityaz 55 (5 gr) Every team placed 5th through 12th in the West plays on Wednesday except for Slovan Bratislava, so the standings could look significantly different when the games are all finished. The Lev-Vityaz match-up is the last one that will finish, so both teams will have a better idea of where they stand after the game.
		Welcome. This game starts at 19:00 CET local time in Prague, 22:00 MSK in Chekhov, 18:00 GMT and 13:00 EST/10:00 PST in North America.

Commentary by

Derek OBrien

@@Djob76

Goals & lineups Match log

Goals and assists: 20. Vrana (Birner, Nakladal), 43. Danielsson (Gynge), 48. Gynge (Novotny), 50. Nakladal (Cipulis), 57. Novotny (Danielsson, Oystrick) - 34. Seleznyov, 58. Timkin

Lev Praha: Pöpperle (Kocián) - Oystrick, Nakládal, Lepistö, Němec, Mikuš, Porseland, Krejčík - Danielsson, Novotný, Gynge - Birner, Vrána, Řepík - Sekáč, Surový, Hossa - Cipulis, Karamnov, Niživijs - Rachůnek.

Vityaz Podolsk: Lisutin (Denisov) - Seleznyov, Khafizullin, Golovkov, Malevich, Kudinov, Fahey, Tatalin, Dvurechensky - Panarin, Badyukov, Timkin - Podzinš, Hennessy, Korolyov - Sergeyev, Tikhomirov, Kulyomin - Gillies, Chernov, Belousov.

Referees: Gashilov, Kadyrov - Metalnikov, Sirotkin

1st period
	07:17
	08:44
	12:31
	17:15
	19:06
1st intermission
2nd period
	21:47
	23:56
	33:37
	34:52
2nd intermission
3rd period
3rd period
	42:52
	47:22
	49:43
	50:28
	56:02
	57:00
	57:03
	57:30
	59:19
Final