DON 2:1 LEV | HC Donbass Donetsk - Lev Praha (KHL)

KHL

Tipsport extraliga (CZE)

Erste Bank Eishockey Liga

Avangard – Dynamo

0:3 (end)

Dinamo Minsk – Salavat Yulaev

2:3 (end)

Donbass – Lev

2:1 (after SO)

after shootout

HC Donbass Donetsk

2:1 (0:0, 0:1, 1:0)

Lev Praha

Sunday 17.02.2013, 16:30 • Druzhba Palace of Sports, Donetsk • KHL

		The Western Conference playoff matches are as follows: 1. SKA St Petersburg - 8. Atlant Moscow Oblast 2. CSKA Moscow - 7. Lev Praha 3. Dynamo Moscow - 6. Slovan Bratislava 4. Lokomotiv Yaroslavl - 5. Severstal Cherepovets All four series begin Wednesday, so check back with EuroLiveScores for live coverage! (19:00:47)
		Even though their playoff hopes were dashed just before they took the ice, Donbass takes 2 points and jumps ahead of Dinamo Minsk to finish 9th in the Western Conference. Lev Praha had a chance to finish 6th with a regulation win, but gave up a shorthanded goal halfway through the third period and end up getting one point. They finish 7th and will face CSKA Moscow in the first round.
		Game over.
		But he can't. Michal Repik tries to go five-hole on Holt but is denied. Goal for Donbass! TUOMAS KIISKINEN gets credit with the game-winning goal.
		No goal. Dmitri Kagarlitsky tries to deke Stepanek to the backhand but is denied. Lev now needs a goal to prolong the shootout.
		Michal Birner shoots wide to the stick side on Lev's second attempt. Donbass can now win with a goal.
		Lukas Kaspar is poke-checked by Stepanek and the puck hits the post.
		In Lev's first attempt, Nicklas Danielsson tries to make a move on Holt and the puck slides off his stick.
		With the first shot, Tuomas Kiiskinen scores, beating Stepanek with the high backhander.
		Start of shootout.
		Shootout coming up. Donbass will shoot first.
		Jakub Stepanek has to make a big save just as the horn goes. Not sure if it would have counted if it had gone in.
	65:00	Overtime finished.
	64:45	Podhradsky with a wrister from the point, stopped by Stepanek and cleared.
	64:20	Porseland with a slapper from the point, blocker save Holt.
	63:45	Lev's top unit threatens deep in the zone but can't get a shot, puck cleared . . .
	62:10	Lev quickly back the other way and a mad scramble in front of Holt, Tomas Rachunek almost puts it in but Holt keeps it out.
	62:00	2-on-1 Donbass, Kochetkov's pass attempt fails to connect on the doorstep.
	61:05	Mikus with the backhander, stick save Holt, play continues.
	60:46	Lev with a great chance to win it, Danielsson centers to Novotny, who shoots quickly but Chris Holt robs him.
	60:18	Early chance for Donbass, Wilson tries to reach a pass but falls and it slides harmlessly to Stepanek, who covers.
	60:01	Overtime began.
		It's official, Slovan Bratislava finishes 6th in the West and Lev Praha 7th, as the best they can now do is 2 points today, which isn't enough. We'll play 4-on-4 sudden-death overtime for 5 minutes, and if nobody scores we'll have a shootout.
	60:00	3rd period finished.
	59:52	Puck played by a Lev high stick in the attacking zone. Faceoff outside. This game is almost certainly going to overtime.
	59:29	Offside Donbass.
	59:00	Play in the Donbas zone, remember Lev needs a reguation win to get 6th place . . .
	58:13	Donbass clearing attempt hits a player on the bench, faceoff inside.
	57:45	Wirtanen backhands a shot just wide, then gets another chance and Stepanek stops it.
	57:00	Petr Vrana with a great chance in front on a one-timer but Chris Holt makes a great save, losing his stick in the process.
	56:05	Juraj Mikus with a big hit along the boards in the neutral zone.
	55:38	Jiri Sekac takes a shot that goes through a defenceman's legs and hits a screened Holt, who then covers the rebound.
	54:34	One-timer from Randy Robitaille caught by Stepanek. :18 left in the penalty.
	53:40	Cross-point pass intercepted and Lev ices . . .
	52:52	Michal Repik sent to the box for slashing. After tying the game shorthanded, Donbass will try to take the lead on the power play.
	52:37	Petr Vrana with a shot from the boards, turned away by Holt.
	50:56	Lev not able to generate much on the PP after the shorthanded goal. Back at even strength, Holt covers it.
	49:17	Goal for Donbass! Donbass especially dangerous on the PK in this third period, and they finally score. JIRI DADONOV re-directs Pasi Puisola's slap pass into the open side. Assist: Pasi Puisola.
	48:31	Now Fredrik Pettersson is getting the gate for interference, so Lev is going to the power play.
	47:54	Just as the penalty expires, Stepanek stops another shot and covers for the whistle.
	47:01	Low wrister from the point held by Stepanek. :52 left in the penalty.
	46:05	Wilson with the shot from the point, turned away by Stepanek.
	45:53	Donbass to the power play as Juraj Mikus trips Lukas Kaspar, who was trying to break into the Lev zone.
	44:08	Another chance in close for Donbass, Kaspar with the tip in front of Stepanek. They're getting the better chances this period.
	43:34	Offside Lev.
	43:24	On the rush, Kagarlitsky fires a big slapper at Stepanek, right at him and he holds on.
	42:47	Offside Lev on the shoot-in, faceoff at centre ice.
	42:14	Another big Donbass chance, Fredrik Pettersson walks out of the corner and tries to backhand it through Stepanek's pads, then jams at the rebound but can't get it.
	41:42	Christ Holt now covers a loose puck at the side of the net and after some time finally gets a whistle.
	40:51	With teams now at even strength, Stepanek covers the puck.
	40:18	Shorthanded, Donbass very nearly tied the game, with the puck backhanded through Stepanek's legs but misses the far post.
	40:01	Start of 3rd period.
		Teams have returned to the ice and the 3rd period will soon begin. Once again, Lev begins on the power play as there is still :32 left in Matousek's penalty.
		Dinamo Riga defeats Slovan Bratislava 3-1. That means if Lev holds on for the win today in Donetsk, they will finish 6th place and face Dynamo Moscow in the first round of the playoffs. Anything less than a regulation win and they finish 7th and face CSKA.
		A lot more action that period. More physicality, more penalties, more end-to-end action, more quality scoring chances, and the first goal of the game by Aleksandr Nizivijs. Shots on goal in 2nd period (and game): Donbass 8 (16), Lev 13 (24). Donbass with a slight edge in the faceoff circle through 40 minutes, winning 22 of 41 draws. Randy Robitaille is 6/7, while Jiri Novotny is 9/13 for Lev. Clay Wilson is Donbass's ice time leader at 15:38, Jakub Nakladal leads Lev with 14:48. 3rd period begins at 19:10 EET, 18:10 CET, 12:10 EST.
	40:00	2nd period finished.
	38:28	Tomas Matousek called for a slash on Sekac along the boards and he goes to the box, Lev will finish the period on the power play barring a goal or another penalty.
	36:40	Shot by Wirtonen from the boards, Stepanek re-directs it to the corner.
	35:25	Donbass 2-on-1, Nedorost passes across to Shalimov but Stepanek makes a great toe save to rob him.
	35:05	Leb ak to the attack again with a couple of shots, teh latest a slapper by Onrej Nemec from the point.
	34:18	Goal for Lev! A pair of Latvians team up, Cipulis from behind the net feeds in front and ALEKSANDRS NIZIVIJS fires it past Holt, a former teammate of both players for Dinamo Riga. Assists: Martins Cipulis, Tomas Surovy.
	34:04	Lev rush, shot by Juraj Mikus, Holt holds on and a gathering follows. Nothing comes of it.
	33:42	Icing Lev.
	33:35	Jumping up on the left wing, Clay Wilson gets a shot on Stepanek, deflected to the corner.
	33:17	Offside Lev on the stretch pass, faceoff back in their own zone.
	31:00	Shot from Aleksandrs Nizivijs hits the arm of Holt, play moves back the other way . . .
	30:27	Lev shot from the point, stopped and covered by Holt.
	30:06	Puck deflected out of play in the Donbass zone, faceoff inside.
	29:34	Finally Stepanek comes out of his crease to dive on a loose puck and get a stoppage.
	29:02	Quick one-timer by Bartulis, more of a re-direction really, deflected away by Stepanek.
	28:13	A couple of Donbass shots from in close, Stepanek keeps it out.
	27:32	A lot of whistles this period. This one offside against Donbass.
	27:18	The other way a long shot from Ondrej Nemec, Holt catches and holds on.
	27:05	Shot by Jan Kolar, Stepanek with the save and holds on.
	26:22	Holt catches a shoot-in and holds on for a faceoff.
	25:20	Both teams are now back at 5 on 5, play in the Donbass zone.
	24:35	Peter Podhradsky takes a pass and fires a wrister from the top of the slot that hits Stepanek in the chest. After a scramble he covers it.
	24:25	Donbass now has a brief power play, and they have the puck in the Lev zone.
	23:50	Big slap shot attempt by Jan Kolar is blocked in front.
	22:50	Now a penalty for Lev, as Michal Repik is called for slashing in the attacking zone. 4 on 3 Lev for the next :06, then 4 on 4 for a while.
	22:18	They kill off one penalty but Donbass is down 2 men again, Sergei Varlamov gets slashing.
	20:56	The puck is cleared over the glass by Peter Podhradsky and Donbass is now going to be down 2 men for :52.
	20:52	Chance right in front for Michal Birner, who backhands it into Holt's pads, play continues..
	20:01	Start of 2nd period.
		Teams back on the ice and the 2nd period will begin shortly. Lev begins the period on the power play for another 1:49, as Randy Robitaille is in the box for interference.
		Atlant has clinched the last playoff spot in the west, as Dinamo Minsk fell 3-2 at home to Ufa, which had an incredible finish (click on the score from that game above to read the details). Slovan Bratislava trails 2-1 in Riga after two periods. If they lose and Lev wins, both in regulation, Lev finishes 6th and Slovan 7th, otherwise the reverse.
		No decisive edge that period. Both teams strong on the penalty kill in the first period. Both teams got a few good chances too, both Chris Holt and Jakub Stepanek equal to the task. Shots on goal: Donbass 8, Lev 11. 2nd period begins at 18:21 EET, 17:21 CET, 11:21 EST.
		Denis Kochetkov got a shorthanded breakaway in the dying seconds, but he was pressed for time and his shot hit Stepanek, though it wouldn't have counted anyway.
	20:00	1st period finished.
	19:49	Randy Robitaille of Donbass going to the box. Looks like he's getting the only penalty.
	19:15	Jiri Sekac circles the net and gets a shot from point-blank, Holt stops it, Sekac knocks the rebound loose, play continues behind the net.
	18:10	Sami Lepisto with a shot from the point, kicked out by Holt, play goes back the other way . . .
	18:00	Tomas Surovy enters the zone, winds up and takes a slapper, Holt saw it all the way and catches it.
	17:15	Back the other way, Donbass back at it, Lukas Kaspar with the shot, save Stepanek.
	16:56	Off the draw Lev's 2nd line applies pressure, not able to get it by Holt in a scramble, puck finally cleared.
	16:46	And now back the other way, Michal Repik gets a shot on Holt, stopped and held.
	16:15	Clay Wilson sneaking in from the point takes a hard shot, kicked out by Stepanek.
	15:30	Lev shot hits Chris Holt and deflects out of play.
	14:30	Donbass back at full strength--I don't have any up-to-the-minute stats, but through 2 power plays Lev has not registered more than 1 or 2 shots.
	12:57	Lev shot from the point deflected out of play in front. Faceoff inside.
	12:20	Donbass getting their second penalty, Tomas Matousek sent off. Lev is 0/1 on the power play.
	12:00	Donbass breaks into the Lev zone, weak backhander by Petteri Wirtanen easily scooped up and held by Stepanek.
	11:49	Icing Donbass.
	11:41	Offside Donbass on the long pass, faceoff will come back into their own zone.
	10:33	Offside Lev.
	09:33	Lev captain Jiri Novotny takes a pass and fires a wrister off the post from a sharp angle.
	08:50	Wrist shot from the slot by Yevgeni Dadonov, save Stepanek.
	08:37	Offside Donbass.
	08:11	Just after the penalty ends, Tuomas Kiiskinen of Donbass gets a great scoring chance, cutting out from the corner but his backhander from the slot is stopped and held by Stepanek.
	06:16	Puck deflected out of play in the Lev zone, faceoff inside.
	06:04	Now Donbass getting its first power play as Vitali Karamnov Jr is called for interference in his own zone, running a pick.
	04:30	Donbass back at full strength but play still in their zone.
	04:00	Lev controlling the puck along the boards and at the point, but not getting any shots through this Donbass box.
	02:23	Novotny with a shot from the point, scramble in the Donbass crease, and Donbass defenceman Clay Wilsongetting the game's first penalty for crosschecking.
	01:59	Play down low in the Lev zone, Tomas Matousek with the wraparound attempt, stopped and covered by Jakub Stepanek.
	00:54	Play stopped in the Lev zone after Donbass forward Lukas Kaspar collides with a Lev defenceman and stays down. He seems to be alright, though. Faceoff outside.
	00:33	Lev's Tomas Rachunek with the game's first shot is deflected out of play by Chris Holt and out of play. Holt was scheduled to start at the last minute.
	00:01	Game started.
		The national anthems of the Czech Republic and Ukraine have been played, and the opening faceoff is moments away.
		With Atlant Moscow Oblast just finishing a 5-0 victory over Metallurg Neftekhimik, Donbass's playoff hopes are officially over about 15 minutes before their final game is about to begin. They can tie Atlant with a regulation victory, but Atlant holds the tiebreaker based on more victories. They can now finish no higher than 9th, which depends on how Dinamo Minsk fairs--Minsk can still capture the last playoff spot with a win, but they currently trail Ufa 1-0 in the 2nd period.
		Starting Lineups: HC Donbass Donetsk: Laco (Holt) – Wilson, Podhradský, Bartulis, Puistola, Peretagin, Kolář, Tereschenko – Nedorost (C), Kiiskinen, Dadonov – Kagarlitsky, Kašpar, Robitaille – Wirtanen, Kochetkov, Varlamov – Pettersson, Shalimov, Matoušek – Nikiforov. Coach: Július Šupler. Lev Praha: Štěpánek (Kocián) – Nakládal, Lepistö, Němec, Mikuš, Krejčík, Porseland – Novotný (C), Rachůnek, Danielsson – Birner, Vrána, Řepík – Niživijs, Surový, Cipulis – Cingel, Sekáč, Karamnov. Coach: Václav Sýkora. Officials: Bulanov, Ravodin – Zakharenkov, Shelyanin.
		The match-up between Donbass Donetsk and Lev Praha is the very last one of the 2012-13 KHL regular season. Depending on the outcome of three other games that will finish earlier in the day, it could determine the final finish of both teams in the Western Conference, who will finish between 6th and 10th places. Visiting Lev Praha clinched a playoff berth with their 2-0 victory over Spartak Moscow on Friday night. They enter play Sunday in 7th place in the conference with 75 points and can drop no lower, but could advance to 6th place with a regulation victory, combined with a regulation defeat for Slovan Bratislava against Dinamo Riga--that game will begin 30 minutes earlier. The team that finishes 6th place will face Dynamo Moscow in the first round of the playoffs, while the team in 7th will face CSKA Moscow. Donbass Donetsk enters the day in 10th place with 70 points, tied with 9th-place Atlant Moscow Oblast, who hold the tiebreaker and one point behind 8th-place Dinamo Minsk, who possess the final playoff spot. They need a win to make the playoffs, but a victory by either of the other two teams could take that chance out of their hands. The two teams met back on October 10 in Prague--the third game of the season for both teams. Lev won 1-0, with Jakub Klepíš scoring the lone goal and Tomáš Pöpperle recording the first of 6 shutouts this season. Erik Ersberg made 39 saves for Donbass in a losing cause. Neither goalie will play today, with Ján Laco and Jakub Štěpánek starting today for Donbass and Lev, respectively.
		Welcome. This game starts at 17:30 EET local time in Donetsk, 16:30 CET in Prague, 15:30 GMT, and 10:30 EST/07:30 PST in North America.

Commentary by

Derek OBrien

@@Djob76

Goals & lineups Match log

Goals and assists: 50. Dadonov (Puisola), ?. Kiiskinen (pen.) - 35. Nizivijs (Cipulis, Surový)

HC Donbass Donetsk: Holt (Laco) – Wilson, Podhradský, Bartulis, Puistola, Peretagin, Kolář, Tereschenko – Nedorost (C), Kiiskinen, Dadonov – Kagarlitsky, Kašpar, Robitaille – Wirtanen, Kochetkov, Varlamov – Pettersson, Shalimov, Matoušek – Nikiforov. Coach: Július Šupler.

Lev Praha: Štěpánek (Kocián) – Nakládal, Lepistö, Němec, Mikuš, Krejčík, Porseland – Novotný (C), Rachůnek, Danielsson – Birner, Vrána, Řepík – Niživijs, Surový, Cipulis – Cingel, Sekáč, Karamnov.
Coach: Václav Sýkora.

Referees: Bulanov, Ravodin – Zakharenkov, Shelyanin.

1st period
	02:23
	06:04
	12:20
	19:49
1st intermission
2nd period
	20:56
	22:18
	22:50
	34:18
	38:28
2nd intermission
3rd period
	45:53
	48:31
	49:17
	52:52
After 3rd period
Overtime
before shootout
Shootout

after shootout