KHL
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final/OT
HC Donbass Donetsk
3:2 (0:1, 1:1, 1:0, 1:0)
Lev Praha
Sunday 08.09.2013, 16:00 • Druzhba Palace of Sports • KHL
     
    Lev looked in good shape to take their season opener, up 2-0 in the 2nd period, but Donbass played strong from the start of the 2nd period onward and scored 3 straight goals to win their second in a row. The Ukrainian side has now taken 5 of 6 points from their first two games. (18:44:31)
     
    62:21
    Game over.
     
    62:21
    Goal for Donbass!
    What a brilliant move by MAXIM YAKUTSENYA, who picked up the puck just inside the blueline, went down the boards, cut in front, and beat Vehanen with a perfect shot high to the near side. Assist: Teemu Laine.
     
    61:10
    Donbass clears the zone--they are back to full strength.
     
    60:10
    Sevc dishes to Birner, but he misfires on the one-timer and it's an easy glove save for Laco.
     
    60:01
    Overtime began.
     
    Each team now has one point in the bank, and they will play on for the second. We'll have 4-on-4 sudden-death overtime for 5 minutes, and if nobody scores we'll go to a shootout. Actually we'll begin 4-on-3, as 1:03 remains in Peter Podhradsky's tripping penalty.
     
    For the final seconds of that third period Nicklas Danielsson was on the ice and in some pain, following the final horn he is fuming at the officials, as replays seem to show he was tapped on the back of the knee. No penalty, although the Lev power play will continue for another 1:03 into overtime.
     
    60:00
    3rd period finished.
     
    59:15
    Justin Azevedo shoots from a weak angle, pad save Laco.
     
    59:03
    Timeout Lev.
     
    59:03
    The parade of penalties continues, and this time it's Peter Podhradsky who's called for the slewfoot of Michal Birner along the boards. Lev will finish regulation time on the power play barring them scoring or taking a penalty.
     
    58:22
    Lev ices at the tail end of the penalty so play continues, and some miscommunication by Donbass almost gives Michal Birner a chance to sneak the puck inside the post on an unsuspecting Jan Laco, but the goalie recovers and stops it at the last minute.
     
    58:09
    Donbass goes offside with just :03 seconds left in their power play.
     
    57:38
    Vehanen stops a shot from a weak angle, one penalty is over and :34 remains in Oystrick's penalty.
     
    56:48
    Podhradsky feeds Teemu Laine in front, and Petri Vehanen makes another huge save on the one-timer with :13 of 5-on-3 time left.
     
    56:13
    Nathan Oystrick upends Clay Wilson entering the zone, and is called for tripping. Donbass back to the 5-on-3 advantage .
     
    56:00
    Lev clears and one penalty is over.
     
    55:46
    Donbass works it around for a one-time slapper from Peter Podhradsky, but Petri Vehanen makes a big glove save with :13 left in the first penalty, 1:13 in the second.
     
    55:10
    Lev ices off the draw, Donbass regroups . . .
     
    55:01
    Lev is now going to be two men short as Nicklas Danielsson broke a Donbass stick with a slash. We'll have exactly one minute of 5-on-3 hockey.
     
    54:01
    Donbass calls a timeout, trying to set up their power play for the go-ahead goal.
     
    54:01
    Just after killing off a penalty, Donbass is going to the power play as Erik Christensen is called for holding the stick in the attacking zone.
     
    53:35
    This time it's Martin Sevc with the shot from the point, which hits Laco and goes out of play. :12 left in the penalty.
     
    53:12
    Shot from the point by Gragnani through traffic, but Laco gives no rebound with :35 left in the penalty.
     
    51:47
    Oleg Piganovich is going back to the penalty box for a trip of Justin Azevedo in the neutral zone. Lev to the power play.
     
    51:24
    Icing Donbass.
     
    50:50
    Slap shot from Razin, pad save Vehenan and play continues, now back to 5 on 5.
     
    49:59
    Now play is stopped in the Donbass zone with :48 left in the coincidental penalties.
     
    49:18
    Kaspar circles the net with the puck, centres out font but nobody there.
     
    48:42
    It appears that we have off-setting penalties to Oleg Piganovich and Jakub Nakladal, who were the main combatants. Interestingly, the faceoff is inside even though defenceman Piganovich was in the middle of that melee.
     
    48:42
    Donbass comes right back looking for more, and following the whistle we have a big mix-up, with penalties coming for sure.
     
    48:22
    Goal for Donbass!
    After first missing the net, RANDY ROBITAILLE got is own rebound off the end boards and put it into the net over a sprawling Vehanen to tie the score. Assist: Lukas Kaspar.
     
    47:30
    Erik Christensen cuts out of the corner and tries to beat Laco short side, but the Donbass goalie makes a big pad save from point blank.
     
    46:48
    The puck once again slides to Vehanen, and he covers for another faceoff in the Lev zone.
     
    46:10
    Vehanen makes a pad save off Razin, then Lev called for icing.
     
    45:36
    Finally play stopped as Vehanen catches Clay Wilson's slapper from the point. Lev back at full strength.
     
    44:50
    Vehanen made the save, then took a stick in the face and went down, play continues as Lev clears the zone, Vehanen back up now.
     
    44:20
    Randy Robitaille and Lukas Kaspar work the give-and-go, Kaspar from down low went back in front to Robitaille, but Petri Vehanen grabs his one-time attempt.
     
    43:31
    Donbass going back to the power play as Nicklas Danielsson upended Yakutsenya at the Donbass blueline trying to stick-check him.
     
    42:27
    Martin Thornberg looking for the near side on a Lev rush, Jan Laco with a nice glove save.
     
    42:12
    Puck out of play in the Lev zone, faceoff outside.
     
    41:54
    Long shot by Ridderwall on a Lev rush, stick save Laco and he covers.
     
    41:00
    Wrister from the point by Podhradsky, blocker save Vehanen.
     
    40:44
    A missed Donbass pass slides all the way to Petri Vehanen, who covers with players bearing down on him.
     
    40:35
    Icing Donbass.
     
    40:10
    Lev called for offside on the opening drive.
     
    40:01
    Start of 3rd period.
     
    The teams are on the ice, and the 3rd period faceoff is moments away.
     
    Lev have to consider themselves fortunate to escape that period with the lead, as Donbass owned it virtually from beginning to end. They got a goal on a rush against the flow of play on a perfect shot from Michal Birner to make it 2-0, before Donbass got one back courtesy Clay Wilson on a two-man advantage. The story that period was the goaltending of Petri Vehanen and Donbass not capitalizing on their chances, as they fired wide several times.

    Shots on goal in the 2nd period (and game): Donbass 14 (24), Lev 6 (19).

    Faceoff leaders: Donbass – Virtanen 11/15, Lev – Zaricksson 5/7.

    Icetime leaders: Donbass – Piganovich 15:22, Lev – Nemec 14:38.

    3rd period begins at 18:45 EEST, 17:45 CEST, 11:45 EDT.
     
    40:00
    2nd period finished.
     
    39:00
    Lev clears the zone as the penalty expires, they didn't give up a shot on goal on that kill.
     
    37:59
    Offside Donbass with 1:01 left in the power play. They haven't got a shot yet.
     
    37:00
    Jiri Novotny is going off for slashing, as he chopped the stick out of the hands of Kaspar along the boards. Lev really back on their heels and Donbass on the rampage.
     
    36:39
    Icing Lev.
     
    36:32
    A 3-on-1 break for Donbass and the pass goes to the trailer Maxim Piganovich, but he fires just wide trying to pick the top corner.
     
    35:13
    Icing Lev, who are back at full strength.
     
    34:57
    Kagarlitsky tries a quick shot to the near corner but Vehanen slides across to kick it away, then Lev ices.
     
    34:36
    Now play is stopped as the puck goes out of play with :30 left in the penalty.
     
    34:15
    Big shot from the point by Piganovich just goes wide.
     
    33:33
    Offside Lev, who are doing a good job of ragging the puck. 1:33 left in the penalty.
     
    33:06
    Right off the draw Martin Sevc upends his winger and Donbass is going back to the power play.
     
    33:02
    Icing Lev.
     
    32:30
    Another save by Petri Vehanen, this one off of Dadonov. Donbass has dominated this period.
     
    31:30
    We get a wild scramble in the Lev crease resulting from a point shot by Peter Podhradsky. Jakub Nakladal brushed it away from the goal line with his hand but didn't close his hand on it so there's no penalty shot, despite an argument from Donbass.
     
    30:42
    Lev is now back at full strength as we've passed the game's midpoint.
     
    29:46
    Goal for Donbass!
    A pretty passing play from the corner leads to a one-time blast from CLAY WILSON, who puts his team on the board. Since the first penalty hadn't expired yet, Donbass remains on the power play. Assists: Peter Podhradsky, Maxim Yakutsenya.
     
    38:30
    Varlamov is out of the box and Donbass has a 2-man advantage for :49.
     
    28:42
    Now Donbass will have a 4-on-3 advantage as Juraj Mikus takes out the skates of Yakutsenya in the corner.
     
    28:15
    Once again a power play ends early, as Petr Vrana gets called for a hook in the neutral zone. 4 on 4 hockey again.
     
    27:23
    Now a slash from Sergei Varlamov breaks a Lev stick and he's going off. Tempers starting to flare this game.
     
    26:00
    A low shot hits the pad of Laco and goes out of play. The two players in the box are set to return soon.
     
    25:04
    Now we get some pushing and shoving along the boards between Jan Kolar of Donbass and Erik Christensen of Lev. They're getting 2 minutes each, but it looks like Christensen was cut and needs to go to the room, as Nathan Oystrick is serving his penalty.
     
    24:41
    Goal for Lev!
    After Donbass had dominated the first 6 minutes of this period, Lev scores as MICHAL REPIK rips a low wrister off ther rush just inside the far post. Assist: Petr Vrana.
     
    24:01
    Icing Lev.
     
    23:52
    Donbass back to the attack. They're getting lots of traffic in front and shooting from the point, the latest after a bad giveaway, but Vehanen remains strong.
     
    22:29
    Now Lev with their first offensive chance of the period, a couple of shots for Jiri Sekac but Laco stops them both and covers.
     
    21:39
    A golden chance for Lukas Kaspar right off the draw, trying to go high as Vehenan went down but hits him in the shoulder. Vehanen finally gets a handle on it and holds on for another faceoff.
     
    21:35
    And now Vehanen stops another long shot and covers it with his team back at full strength.
     
    21:10
    Dadonov peels out of the corner and gets a shot on goal just as the penalty ends, pad save Behanen.
     
    20:46
    Now play is stopped as the Lev net is dislodged. Faceoff inside with :20 left in the penalty.
     
    20:26
    Vehanen catches a long shot with traffic in front. :41 left in the penalty.
     
    20:14
    Offside Donbass with :53 left in the power play.
     
    20:01
    Start of 2nd period.
     
    The teams have returned to the ice and the 2nd period faceoff is moments away.

    Michal Birner still has 1:07 left in his penalty, so Donbass starts the period on the power play
     
    As they were on Friday, Donbass was the quicker team right out of the gate, but Lev was able to turn the tide on the power play and got the game's opening goal at the tail end of it. Donbass started to put on some late pressure in what was, for the most part, a fairly even period.

    Shots on goal in the 1st period: Donbass 10, Lev 13.

    Faceoff leaders: Donbass – Wirtanen 4/7, Lev – Vrana 4/5.

    Icetime leaders: Donbass – Piganovich 8:26, Lev – Nemec 7:33.

    2nd period begins at 17:52 EEST, 16:52 CEST, 10:52 EDT.
     
    20:00
    1st period finished.
     
    19:25
    Yevgeni Dadonov was set up in the slot and Petri Vehanen makes a huge save from point blank, play continues.
     
    19:07
    Michal Birner is going off for tripping in the attacking zone on Pettersson along the boards. Barring a goal or a penalty, Donbass will finish the period on the power play.
     
    18:24
    Offside Lev on the pass.
     
    17:45
    Offside Lev, as the puck came barely out and then back in.
     
    16:41
    Offside Donbass on the shoot-in, faceoff at centre ice.
     
    15:44
    Calle Ridderwall with the shot on the rush hits Laco and goes out of play.
     
    15:05
    The puck deflects out of play in the Donbass zone, faceoff inside.
     
    14:50
    Kapanen steps out of the box, receivs a pass and tries to go in on goal but not able to get a shot away.
     
    14:20
    Donbass now on the power play, and they have possession in the Lev zone.
     
    12:43
    The power play is finished as Sami Kapanen is called for interference, throwing a pick at the blueline as his team tried to enter the zone. We'll have 4 on 4 for 1:35.
     
    12:18
    Lev going to the power play for the second time this game as Lukas Kapsar is called for holding the stick, as he yanked it out of the hands of Jakub Nakladal. Lev is technically 0/1 on the PP, although their goal was certainly a product of the power play.
     
    11:28
    Icing Lev.
     
    11:20
    A high wrister from Yevgeni Danonov is caught and held by Vehanen.
     
    09:58
    Icing Donbass.
     
    09:39
    Oystrick takes a slapper from the blueline that hits Laco up high and goes out of play.
     
    07:59
    Goal for Lev!
    Ondrej Nemec's point shot was deflected in front by CALLE RIDDERWALL, but upon review his stick was below the height of the crossbar. It is technically not a power play goal, but Piganovich had not even left the pox. Assist: Ondrej Nemec.
     
    07:59
    Right off the draw, a point shot from Ondrej Nemec is deflected in, and we're going to video replay to see if it was a high stick.
     
    07:55
    Michal Repik tries to pick the far post but Jan Laco makes a nice glove save with :04 left in the penalty. The Birner-Vrana-Repik line was one of the team's best in the pre-season and last year's playoffs.
     
    07:13
    Offside Lev with :47 left in the power play.
     
    06:26
    Nathan Oystrick shoots from the point, not sure if it got through to Laco or was tipped away, Donbass clears . . .
     
    05:59
    Donbass defenceman Oleg Piganovich is getting the game's first penalty for kneeing, catching Jiri Sekac in the neutral zone. Lev to the power play for the first time this season.
     
    05:23
    Lukas Kaspar from the slot tries to pick the low corner with a wrister but Vehanen kicks it aside.
     
    04:20
    Lev trying to apply pressure in the Donbass zone but they only have one shot so far, a long one from defenceman Martin Sevc.
     
    02:58
    Offside Lev.
     
    01:53
    The first whistle of the game is a glove save by Petri Vehanen, who catches a long shot from Gennady Razin, which might have been headed wide anyway. Razin was a product of the successful Druzhba 78 program out of Kharkiv, of which Danius Zubrus is also a product.
     
    00:56
    Maxim Yakutsenya, who scored the winning goal Friday, gets the first shot on goal for Donbass, a backhander that hits Vehanen and deflects away.
     
    00:01
    Game started.
     
    The national anthems of the Czech Republic and Ukraine have been played, and the opening faceoff is moments away.

    Donbass Donetsk is wearing their home red uniforms with white, black and silver trim, black pants and helmets, while Lev Praha is wearing their road white uniforms with blue and red trim, red NY Rangers-style pants and white helmets.
     
    Starting Lineups:

    HC Donbass Donetsk: Laco (Berezin) – Piganovich, Kolář, Wilson, Podhradský, Razin, Bartulis, Silnitsky – Pettersson, Wirtanen, Laine – Yakutsenya, Belukhin, Dadonov – Kašpar, Robitaille, Kagarlitsky – Blagoy, Varlamov, Shalimov.

    HC Lev Praha: Vehanen (Lukáš) – Oystrick, Nakládal, Ševc, Humphries, Mikuš, Němec, Gragnani – Danielsson, Kapanen, Azevedo – Birner, Vrána, Řepík – Novotný, Christensen, Ridderwall – Sekáč, Zackrisson, Thörnberg – Cingel.

    Referees: Gusev, Soin – Maitak, Pronskikh.
     
    This game will be the season opener for Lev Praha, while it will be the second of the season for Donbass Donetsk.

    Donbass opened the season on Friday with a 4-2 win over Slovan Bratislava. Maxim Yakusenya scored the winning goal with 8:54 remaining and defenceman Oleg Piganovich picked up 2 assists. Slovak Ján Laco was in goal for the opener, and he's slated to get the start again in the second game ahead of Canadian Michael Leighton.

    Lev finished 7th in the KHL's Western Conference last year, 4 points ahead of 9th-place Donbass, before being swept in the first round of the playoffs by CSKA Moscow. Their leading scorer last year was Jakub Klepiš with 40 points, and he returned to the club just last week and played in their final pre-season game, but he's not going to be playing tonight. Newcomers Sami Kapanen, Justin Azevedo, Calle Ridderwall, Patrik Zaricksson, Martin Thörnberg, Martin Ševc, Spencer Humphries and Marc-André Gragnani will all be making their regular season debuts with the club, as will starting goaltender Petri Vehanen.
     
    Welcome. This game starts at 17:00 EEST local time in Donetsk, 16:00 CEST in Prague, 10:00 EDT.
    Commentary by

    Derek OBrien

    CZ@@Djob76

    Goals & lineups Match log
    Goals and assists: 30. Wilson (Podhradsky, Yakutsenya), 49. Robitaille (Kaspar), 63. Yakutsenya (Laine) – 8. Ridderwall (Nemec), 25. Repik (Vrana)

    HC Donbass Donetsk: Laco (Berezin) – Piganovich, Kolář, Wilson, Podhradský, Razin, Bartulis, Silnitsky – Pettersson, Wirtanen, Laine – Yakutsenya, Belukhin, Dadonov – Kašpar, Robitaille, Kagarlitsky – Blagoy, Varlamov, Shalimov.
    Lev Praha: Vehanen (Lukáš) – Oystrick, Nakládal, Ševc, Humphries, Mikuš, Němec, Gragnani – Danielsson, Kapanen, Azevedo – Birner, Vrána, Řepík – Novotný, Christensen, Ridderwall – Sekáč, Zackrisson, Thörnberg – Cingel.
    Referees: Gusev, Soin – Maitak, Pronskikh