KHL
Spartak – Medvescak 1:3 (end)
final
Spartak Moscow
1:3 (1:0, 0:1, 0:2)
Medvescak Zagreb
Wednesday 08.01.2014, 14:00 • Ice Palace of Sokolniki • KHL
     
    It's yet another disappointing defeat for Spartak as they concede two late goals to fall to Medvescak 3-1! Either team could have claimed the points for themselves, but a late powerplay goal from Matt Murley punished Spartak for their missed chances and Boyd Kane iced it with any empty netter. Spartak had struck first through Vyacheslav Kozlov before Charles Linglet equaled up the score. Today there may have been only one game but tomorrow is a much busier day of KHL action, so see you then! (16:20:35)
     
    60:00
    Game over.
     
    59:18
    Goal for Medvescak! BOYD KANE gathers up the puck, skates towards the empty net and ices it, 3-1! Assists- Ivan Svarny and Mike Glumac
     
    58:57
    Empty net for Spartak!
     
    58:33
    Bodrov makes a strong skate to the net, pass to the crease and it's a big save from Brust!
     
    58:00
    Already there's only two minutes left, can Spartak respond to that late goal?
     
    56:19
    Goal for Medvescak! Cheechoo passes to the open MATT MURLEY who has an empty net to hit and he does it with ease, powerplay goal at an important time and it's 2-1! Assists- Bill Thomas and Jonathan Cheechoo
     
    55:37
    Kulik puts a great hit on Bill Thomas!
     
    54:40
    High sticking is committed by Kvasha, and he's on his way back to the penalty box
     
    53:51
    Bodrov takes the puck around the boards, and on his way completely clatters one of the referees!
     
    53:06
    Medvescak keep the puck in the attacking zone well, Foster with a slapshot that Glass deals with and then he covers on the rebound
     
    51:48
    Kvasha is back on the ice for Spartak
     
    51:18
    Glass gives up a big rebound, Cheechoo gathers it on the doorstep but puts it wide!
     
    50:15
    And now Medvescak are back to full strength
     
    49:48
    Oleg Kvasha for slashing has been penalised and that takes the heat of Medvsecak a bit, it's a 4 on 4 hockey game
     
    49:31
    Bodrov! Sharp feint to the left takes the defender out of the game, goes for the near post but off balance he misses!
     
    48:15
    Spartak are going for it now. Another dangerous looking attack is stopped illegally, and Kluberantz is called for holding
     
    46:35
    Medvescak are now back to full strength
     
    46:27
    Wandell! Again at the right post no one from Medvescak is alert, but the Swede on his knees fires wide!
     
    45:02
    Quint is unmarked at the right post, but takes too long with his shot and it's blocked
     
    44:35
    Great tempo to the game now and Spartak go on the powerplay, Ivan Svarny for holding gets called
     
    43:54
    Pass in towards Glass's near post and he freezes for a faceoff
     
    43:16
    Volkov! Wraparound attempt stopped on the line by Brust!
     
    42:20
    And now a fantastic chance for Medvescak! Jonathan Cheechoo finds himself 1 on 1 with Glass after brilliant combination play, but his backhand shot brushes Glass and goes over!
     
    41:26
    Medvescak have survived and they're back to full strength
     
    40:33
    Bodrov sends a slapshot off the boards, a scramble on the crease ensues and somehow the puck stays out!
     
    40:01
    The deciding period is underway, and Spartak start it on the powerplay
     
    40:01
    Start of 3rd period.
     
    Statistics after 40 minutes of play-

    Shots (on target) 28 (20)- 27 (21)
    Faceoffs- 30-20
    Hits- 6-6
     
    40:00
    2nd period finished.
     
    39:26
    There's time for one more penalty though. Andrew Murray has been called for holding and now it's Medvescak's turn to go on the penalty kill
     
    39:03
    Spartak are back to full strength and we're into the final minute of an eventful second period
     
    37:30
    Ryan tries to get the puck over the goalkeeper's shoulder but he shoots just too low
     
    37:03
    Just as they're gathering up momentum Mamkin is called for interference and Spartak are on the penalty kill
     
    36:59
    Icing from Spartak
     
    36:13
    Kvasha! Brust denies him at first, he gets his own rebound but the puck trickles inches wide of the post! Another excellent chance for the Moscow side
     
    35:24
    Volkov fakes Brust with a great move, shoots with the backhand but hits the post! We carry on with the score still 1-1
     
    35:24
    Penalty shot coming up for Spartak! Igor Volkov was chopped down while through on goal
     
    34:10
    Brust again doesn't look convincing as the puck flies past his left hand post
     
    33:55
    The hosts go offside
     
    33:23
    Zheldakov on the left drags the puck to the net, but Brust is covering his near post well
     
    32:51
    Zheldakov is now back into the action for the hosts
     
    31:51
    Space for Linglet this time from the left opens up, shoots but Spartak defenders manage to block it
     
    30:51
    Glass makes another good save and Medvescak are on the powerplay again, Grigory Zheladakov has been penalised for slashing
     
    30:22
    Icing again from the Muscovites. They've lost their way a little after conceding that equaliser
     
    29:27
    Cheechoo and Linglet try to bundle the puck home as it's bouncing around the Spartak crease but the goalkeeper manages to cover!
     
    28:51
    Icing from Spartak
     
    28:38
    Thomas instead of passing decides to shoot from the boards, and Glass handles the puck with ease
     
    27:38
    Katic breaks into the zone, shoots early and it gets deflected out of play
     
    26:39
    Goal for Medvescak! CHARLES LINGLET waits patiently unmarked on the right for the puck and one times it past Glass to make it 1-1! Assists- Mark Popovic
     
    25:33
    For delaying the game Matt Anderson is sent to the box and Medvescak have their first powerplay opportunity of the day
     
    24:35
    Bjorkstrand gets the puck on the doorstep, has only Glass to beat and aims for the left hand corner but Glass somehow gets something on it!
     
    23:58
    Great chance for Spartak again, Brust makes the initial save on a 1 on 1, rebound from Kozlov with the backhand and he sends it wide!
     
    22:42
    Anderson from behind the net sends a pass into the crease, Spirko from practically point blank range makes contact but once again Brust is there!
     
    22:00
    Mark Popovic from the blue line fires in on goal but it's right down the throat of Glass
     
    21:25
    Spirko! Shows great skills by tricking his way through the Medvescak defence, but Brust denies him a brilliant goal!
     
    20:49
    Pass towards the onrushing Volkov, but it's too long and it's icing from Spartak
     
    20:01
    Start of 2nd period.
     
    Statistics after the first period-

    Shots (on target)- 20 (14)- 12 (10)
    Faceoffs- 9-11
    Hits- 2-3
    Penalty minutes- 0-16
     
    20:00
    1st period finished.
     
    19:30
    Last 30 seconds of the opening period
     
    18:58
    Nystrom receives a long pass, gathers the puck well and from a right angle fires into Glass's glove
     
    18:20
    The Croatians are back to being at full strength
     
    17:28
    Brust is having a very strange game so far. He tries to clear the puck but it gets stuck under his stick, and he has to cover for a faceoff
     
    16:20
    Third time today already that Medvescak are going on the penalty kill. They were spotted to of having too many players on the ice, and Nystrom will sit this one out
     
    14:51
    Linglet makes a brilliant pass to Cheechoo, he's all alone on in front of Glass but his control lets him down! Best chance for Medvescak so far
     
    13:59
    Kozlov shoots powerfully towards the far post but this time just misses
     
    12:50
    Another good attack from Spartak on the left, pass into the crease and Brust has to work again. That left flank is causing all the problems for Medvescak so far
     
    12:24
    Icing from the home side
     
    10:40
    Medvescak now have five players back on the ice, but Foster will stay in the box for another 8 minutes
     
    09:48
    Brust makes a terrible mistake, loses the puck to Kozlov but he makes up for it with a wonderful save!
     
    09:28
    Deron Quint makes a clever pass to Spirko was was charging through on goal, but he couldn't make clean contact on the puck!
     
    08:40
    Great start here from Spartak and they've got themselves another powerplay, Foster for high sticking is off to the penalty box. A 2+10 penalty has been handed to him
     
    08:10
    Goal for Spartak! VYACHESLAV KOZLOV expertly tips in a Bodrov slapshot from the left and the goalkeeper had no chance, powerplay goal and it's 1-0! Assists- Oleg Kvasha and Denis Bodrov
     
    07:12
    Icing from Spartak
     
    07:09
    Klubertanz for roughing has the first penalty of the day and Spartak go on the powerplay
     
    06:56
    Kulik! Slapshot from distance, Brust kicks it out and on the rebound no one can put the puck home!
     
    06:11
    Glass loses sight of the puck following an effort from the point but the defenders manage to clear
     
    06:01
    Anderson puts a pass across the crease towards Spirko but he can't get a touch on the puck
     
    05:07
    Icing from Medvescak
     
    04:01
    Bill Thomas on the doorstep has the first chance for Medvescak but hits the puck right into Glass!
     
    02:25
    Brust makes a very risky pass right through the middle of his zone and just gets away with it!
     
    02:01
    Decent counterattack from Spartak ends with the first shot on target from Denis Ignashin
     
    00:19
    The visitors make the first attacking move, Spartak clear the puck and it's icing
     
    00:01
    Game started.
     
    The teams are out on to the ice, and it's time for the Croatian and Russian national anthems and then we're underway!
     
    Starting lineups:

    Spartak Moscow: Glass (Ivanov)- Quint, Sergeev, Spirko, Wandell, Anderson- Bodrov, Kulik, Volkov, Yunkov, Kozlov- Girshin, Vasiliev, Toluzakov, Kvasha, Bobrov- Mamkin, Zheldakov, Peshekhonov, Ignashin, Medvedev

    Medvescak Zagreb: Brust (Dekanich)- Popovic, Martinovic, Ryan, Murley, Thomas- Klubertanz, Svarny, Linglet, Veske, Cheechoo- Foster, Katic, Kane, Jessiman, Walker- Nystrom, Bjorkstrand, Murray, Glumac

    Referees: Balushka, Romasko, Metalnikov, Sirotkin.
     
    The first game between these teams this season in Zagreb went all the way to penalty shots, and Spartak eventually won 3-2.
     
    Spartak have lost their last eight games in a row, and are slipping further and further away from the playoff zone in 10th place. Their visitors Medvescak in their first year of KHL hockey are in 7th place with 68 points, and they could do with a win today to make themselves feel even more comfortable.
     
    There's only one KHL game for us to enjoy today, but it's a big one. Struggling Spartak Moscow host Medvescak Zagreb, and this is going to be a really interesting watch. Medvescak may be favourites to win today, but Spartak are going to give everything they've got.
     
    Welcome. Game starts at 14:00.
    Commentary by

    Shaun Nicolaides

    Goals & lineups Match log
    Goals and assists: 9. Kozlov (Kvasha, Bodrov) – 27. Linglet (Popovic), 57. Murley (Thomas, Cheechoo), 60. Kane (Svarny, Glumac)

    Spartak Moscow: Glass (Ivanov)- Quint, Sergeev, Spirko, Wandell, Anderson- Bodrov, Kulik, Volkov, Yunkov, Kozlov- Grishin, Vasiliev, Toluzakov, Kvasha, Bobrov- Mamkin, Zheldakov, Peshekhonov, Ignashin, Medvedev
    Medvescak Zagreb: Brust (Dekanich)- Popovic, Martinovic, Ryan, Murley, Thomas- Klubertanz, Svarny, Linglet, Veske, Cheechoo- Foster, Katic, Kane, Jessiman, Walker- Nystrom, Bjorkstrand, Murray, Glumac
    Referees: Balushka, Romasko, Metalnikov, Sirotkin
    Attendance: 3385