KHL
Avangard – Medvescak 4:3 (1:0 after SO) | Barys – Spartak 4:2 (end) | HC Yugra – Dinamo Minsk 6:0 (end)
Metallurg M – Salavat Yulaev 3:4 (0:1 after SO) | Neftekhimik – Traktor 3:1 (end)
after shootout (1:0)
Avangard Omsk
4:3 (2:0, 0:2, 1:1)
Medvescak Zagreb
Tuesday 14.01.2014, 13:00 • Omsk Arena • KHL
     
    In a marathon game Avangard Omsk have pulled out a 4-3 victory after penalty shots! They led for a long time in the game today but in the end they could only get two points for their efforts after Sergey Shirokov's winning penalty shot, and Medvescak leave with the one point. Thanks for following the game with us, and join me for Neftekhimik against Traktor shortly! (15:37:36)
     
    Game over.
     
    The winning penalty shot is scored by SERGEY SHIROKOV
     
    Sergey Shirokov sends the puck high into the left hand corner and wins the game for Avangard!
     
    Jonathan Cheechoo holds the puck for a long time, but can only fire right into Mezin!
     
    Alexander Perezhogin with a complete airshot still leaves the score at 0-0
     
    This time Charles Linglet also goes up close, and with the backhand misses the target
     
    Sergey Kostitsyn tries to go five hole on Barry Brust, but it's stopped
     
    Hugh Jessiman goes up close with Mezin, but puts the puck wide of the right post!
     
    Start of shootout.
     
    Medvescak will shoot first!
     
    65:00
    Overtime finished.
     
    64:30
    Last 30 seconds of overtime and we seem to be heading to penalty shots!
     
    63:55
    Kulyash slaps the puck as hard as he can, but it hits the pads of Brust
     
    63:50
    Medvescak give up the puck in their own zone, Kalinin takes advantage and drives to the net but is denied by Brust
     
    62:00
    On the left Martinovic is fed a good pass, and Semin manages to put him off just in time!
     
    61:20
    Linglet! 2 on 1 breakaway for Medvescak, he could have passed but opts to shoot himself, but his attempt is too central!
     
    60:57
    Pacey rush to the net from Kalinin, he goes for the far right hand corner but the goalkeeper is there
     
    60:25
    Mezin makes the first save in overtime
     
    60:01
    Overtime began.
     
    Overtime it is! If no one will score in the ensuing five minutes, a penalty shootout will follow. In any case today the winner will get two points, the loser just the one
     
    60:00
    3rd period finished.
     
    59:43
    Cheechoo with a backhand effort up close, and Mezin make a solid save
     
    59:30
    30 seconds left in the final period
     
    58:55
    Brust catches the puck in midair. Avangard are really trying to win the game here and now, Medvescak are trapped inside their own zone
     
    58:00
    We're into the final two minutes of normal time, and overtime is starting to loom large on the horizon
     
    55:42
    Kuryanov! Takes up the loose puck and with a high wrist shot forces Brust into a very awkward looking save!
     
    54:03
    Michael Ryan from distance fires a wrister into the waiting glove of Mezin
     
    53:07
    On the right flank Ivanov, looking for his second goal of the game, cuts through the visiting defence but can't beat the goalkeeper at his near post
     
    52:14
    Popov makes Brust work with his pads, and just before Perezhogin can get to the rebound he manages to freeze the puck
     
    50:55
    Sergey Kalinin just manages to get away an attempt on goal, but the goalkeeper covers it well
     
    50:21
    Offside from Medvescak
     
    49:28
    Brust holds on to the puck following a weak effort from the right hand boards
     
    48:37
    Goal for Medvescak! RYAN VESKE skates with purpose towards the net, with the backhand passes across the crease but it hits the Avangard defender and crosses the line, it's a tied game again 3-3!
     
    48:02
    Thomas from the blue line sends the puck to the crease looking for someone to deflect it with their stick, but his pass just isn't accurate enough
     
    47:41
    Avangard seem to be waiting for their opponents to start going for it, the tempo has dropped a little bit
     
    45:16
    Good chance for Medvescak! Linglet hands the open Veske a good pass, but on the doorstep he can't beat Mezin!
     
    42:49
    Goal for Avangard! ALEXANDER PEREZHOGIN skates clean through on goal and fakes the goalkeeper before placing the puck into the empty net, powerplay goal and it's 3-2! Assists- Alexander Popov
     
    42:18
    Popovic is off to the penalty box for interference and now it's a powerplay chance for the hosts
     
    42:00
    Avangard are now back to full strength
     
    41:08
    Mark Popovic wrists the puck into the crease, it hits an Avangard skate and for a second Mezin didn't know where the puck was
     
    40:23
    Medvescak go offside. Remember they are on the powerplay for the start of the third and crucial period
     
    40:01
    Start of 3rd period.
     
    Statistics after the first two periods-

    Shots (on target)- 42 (23)- 30 (22)
    Faceoffs- 21-18
    Hits- 9-3
    Penalty minutes- 4-8
     
    Right at the end of the second period Nikita Pivtsakin has been penalised for tripping, so Medvescak will start the third period on the powerplay
     
    40:00
    2nd period finished.
     
    39:30
    It's the final 30 seconds of the second period
     
    39:19
    Andrey Ivanov from the middle of the zone beats his opposing defender, but his wrist shot doesn't cause Brust any problems
     
    38:47
    Goal for Medvescak! MATT MURLEY is found free on the right, shoots first time but it's blocked, shoots again from what seems like an impossible angle but the puck hits Mezin's back and goes into the net, powerplay goal and it's 2-2!
     
    38:05
    First powerplay chance for Medvescak now, For holding his opponent Kirill Lyamin is penalised
     
    37:55
    Great chances for both teams are coming and going! Mike Glumac cuts into the crease, wrists it towards the right hand corner but Mezin makes a big glove save!
     
    37:35
    Ruzicka! Breaks in from the left, goes one on one with Brust but the goalkeeper stands his ground !
     
    37:17
    Foster is found by Jessiman in acres of space, but can only shoot right into Mezin who excellently manages to cling on to the puck!
     
    36:53
    Pivtsakin from the point fires through a number of bodies, but Brust is alert
     
    36:29
    Medvescak are already back to full strength and another powerplay opportunity has gone to waste for the Russians
     
    35:35
    The puck on the crease gets put wide! And then Perezhogin from almost point blank range has a great chance but he can't put it home!
     
    34:29
    Linglet has been called for slashing, and it's another powerplay opportunity for Avangard. 2-1 they lead so far
     
    34:14
    Icing from Avangard
     
    33:16
    Quick counterattack for the hosts, Goncharov dishes to Berdnikov who can't find the target
     
    32:35
    Third icing in the last few seconds, this time from Avangard
     
    32:00
    And another icing by the Croatians
     
    31:30
    Icing from Medvescak
     
    30:48
    Glumac breaks through on the left, shoots into Mezin's pads and can't get his own rebound
     
    29:22
    Foster from even just outside the Avangard zone slaps the puck hard, but Mezin saw it all the way
     
    28:09
    The visitors are back at full strength
     
    27:51
    Stefan Ruzicka from the left hand side of the crease decides to try and go around Brust rather than shoot, but the goalkeeper reads it well
     
    27:22
    Medvescak are defending really well, denying the hosts opportunities to shoot
     
    26:09
    Second penalty for Medvescak for delaying the game in this period alone. Ivan Svarny is off to the penalty box
     
    25:57
    Berdnikov from up close is denied by Brust and then goes flying over the net! Blatyak then tries his luck from the point and the goalkeeper freezes for a faceoff in his zone
     
    25:05
    Katic is back into the action and it's a 5 on 5 hockey game again
     
    24:22
    Brust at the second attempt manages to hold on to a shot from the blue line
     
    23:05
    The visitors have given up a powerplay here though, Mark Katic for delaying the game is called
     
    22:34
    Medvescak probably didn't deserve to be two down and they're right back into the game, Avangard haven't got going in the period yet
     
    20:51
    Goal for Medvescak! Poor mistake by the home defence in their zone and this time they don't get away with it! HUGH JESSIMAN goes through one on one with the goalkeeper and with a bit of help from the post makes it 2-1!
     
    20:01
    Start of 2nd period.
     
    Statistics after the opening period of play-

    Shots (on target)- 17 (9)- 14 (9)
    Faceoffs- 10-4
    Hits- 8-1
    Penalty minutes- 0-2
     
    20:00
    1st period finished.
     
    19:23
    Glumac picks up the puck on the right flank after another defensive error from Avangard, wrists it into the crease but it comes to nothing
     
    19:00
    We're now into the final minute of the first period
     
    17:24
    Veske squeezes a pass into the crease, Jonathan Cheechoo manages to deflect it but only into Mezin's glove
     
    16:35
    Icing now committed by the Croatians
     
    16:26
    Dangerous pass across the Avangard crease but Charles Linglet just can't get on the end of it!
     
    15:21
    Icing from Avangard
     
    13:41
    And on that note Medvescak take a timeout, it's been a terrible couple of minutes for them and they need to regroup quickly
     
    13:41
    Goal for Avangard! Another 2 on 1 breakaway for Avangard, Sergey Shirokov feeds the open ANDREY IVANOV who on his knees one times it into the net and just like that it's 2-0! Assists- Sergey Shirokov
     
    12:14
    Goal for Avangard! DENIS KULYASH is found in space right in the middle of the zone, he winds up for a big slapshot which flies past Brust and into the left hand corner, 1-0! Assists- Sergey Kostitsyn
     
    09:45
    Perezhogin! Finds space in the middle of the Medvescak defence, and from up close shoots into the pads of Brust!
     
    09:26
    Brust makes a mistake behind his net, passes right to Sergey Kostitsyn but he makes amends with a solid save!
     
    08:24
    The game is coming to life! 2 on 1 breakaway for the hosts, Barry Brust deals with the first effort but the rebound falls right on to Kirill Rasskazov's stick but he can't make clear contact!
     
    07:18
    Another terrible mistake by Avangard in their zone, Nystrom can't beat Mezin, the puck comes to Murley who for already the second time is denied by a great save by Mezin!
     
    07:15
    Murley! The first major chance of the game is for the visitors! Avangard cough up the puck right by their net, Murley goes one on one with Mezin but the goalkeeper comes out on top!
     
    07:03
    Medvescak are now back to full strength
     
    06:05
    Denis Kulyash has a big slapshot form the right hand boards, but it gets deflected wide of the net
     
    05:03
    We should have some action coming up here though. For holding Mike Glumac is sent to the penalty box and Avangard have the first powerplay of the game
     
    04:10
    Four minutes have gone and still no shots of note yet, very quiet start to the game. Icing from the hosts
     
    01:40
    No shots in the game as yet, but Avangard are immediately taking the initiative
     
    00:01
    Game started.
     
    The teams are being presented to the expectant crowd, and the opening faceoff is edging closer!
     
    Starting lineups:

    Avangard Omsk: Mezin (Kostin)- Pivtsakin, Kulyash, Kalinin, Semin, Kostitsyn- Blatyak, Baranka, Ruzicka, Popov, Perezhogin- Lyamin, Goncharov, Shirokov, Kuryanov, Ivanov- Poleschuk, Berdnikov, Rasskazov, Kazionov, Makhanovskiy

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

    Referees: Chernikov, Kiselyov, Golovyov, Morozov.
     
    In the first meeting between these two sides this season in Zagreb, Medvescak thrashed their Russian counterparts 4-0.
     
    Avangard are currently in 10th place of the Eastern Conference and five points off a playoff slot, and they could really do with winning this game to keep their hopes alive. Medvescak with 71 points are sitting in 7th place of the Western Conference, and are edging ever closer to securing their playoff berth.
     
    Good afternoon everyone, and welcome to Omsk for this KHL regular championship match between Avangard and their Croatian visitors Medvescak. The hosts are aiming to make a late dash for the playoffs whereas as Medvescak are looking to secure theirs, and we should be in for a very interesting encounter.
     
    Welcome. Game starts at 13:00.
    Commentary by

    Shaun Nicolaides

    Goals & lineups Match log
    Goals and assists: 13. Kulyash (Kostitsyn), 14. Ivanov (Shirokov), 43. Perezhogin (Popov), dec. p.s. Shirokov – 21. Jessiman, 39. Murley, 49. Veske

    Avangard Omsk: Mezin (Kostin)- Pivtsakin, Kulyash, Kalinin, Semin, Kostitsyn- Blatyak, Baranka, Ruzicka, Popov, Perezhogin- Lyamin, Goncharov, Shirokov, Kuryanov, Ivanov- Poleschuk, Berdnikov, Rasskazov, Kazionov, Makhanovskiy
    Medvescak Zagreb: Brust (Dekanich)- Martinovic, Popovic, Ryan, Murley, Thomas- Svarny, Klubertanz, Linglet, Veske, Cheechoo- Katic, Foster, Kane, Ellison, Jessiman- O'Connor, Bjorkstrand, Murray, Glumac, Nystrom
    Referees: Chernikov, Kiselyov, Golovyov, Morozov