JAR 3:2 LEV | Lokomotiv Yaroslavl - Lev Praha (KHL)

KHL

Lokomotiv – Lev

3:2 (after OT)

final/OT

Lokomotiv Yaroslavl

3:2 (0:0, 1:2, 1:0 - 1:0)

Lev Praha

Tuesday 08.04.2014, 17:00 • KHL

		So, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl have managed to fight off one match point. They still have an uphill climb ahead of them, but it's a start. Petri Vehanen was once again brilliant for Lev but Lokomotiv seemed a determined bunch today. Twice tying it and finally winning it in the last minute of the first overtime. Lev now lead this Western Conference final 3-1. Game 5 will be played Thursday night in Prague at 19:00 CEST. See you then. (20:10:31)
		Game over.
	79:45	Goal for Lokomotiv! From that last faceoff they had saveral chances. First Kronwall tried to stuff it in the short side, then he circled the net and tried again but was stopped, Vehanen made yet another stop of Kartayev but he was down and out and SERGEI PLOTNIKOV was there to put the puck into the empty net for the game winner. Assists: Vladislav Kartayev, Staffan Kronwall.
	79:32	Yuri Petrov leads a Lokomotiv rush with a head of steam, cuts in front but can't beat Vehanen between the legs, then there's a poke at the goalie and we've got some pushing and shoving, but nothing will come of it.
	79:08	Lev rush now, Michal Repik the wrister from the high slot, right on Sanford, who holds on.
	78:27	Now a long wrister from Plotnikov and a glove save by Vehanen, and he hangs on.
	77:47	Now Konkov with the backhand pass in front to Galimov and he couldn't handle the pass, otherwise he was alone in front too.
	76:51	Turnover behind the Lev net, Geoff Platt feeds Mikelis Redlihs in front all alone, but Petri Vehanen makes an enormous right pad save to save this game. It looked like it was finished there but the Finnish goalie saved the day.
	76:14	Dangerous-looking Lev rush into the zone, Vrana drops for Sekac for the high wrister, and another big glove save for Curtis Sanford.
	75:10	Off the draw, Sevc shoots from the point, but it's blocked and hits Sanford in the pads, then the zone is cleared.
	75:05	Azevedo to Ridderwall for the quick shot, deflected out of play. Faceoff in the Lokomotiv zone.
	74:59	Another wrister from Ridderwall, again caught and held by Sanford.
	74:02	A faceoff win for Zackrisson and Nathan Oystrick with the quick shot off the draw but Curtis Sanford makes a nice glove save and holds it again.
	73:57	Birner with a shoot-in from the neutral zone right on Sanford, who covers it again.
	73:15	Vrana wins the draw, Repik with a shot through traffic, deflects wide.
	73:09	Low wrister from Kapanen, scooped up by Sanford and held.
	72:08	Lokomotiv rush through the neutral zone but a pass attempt is deflected out of play, faceoff in the Lev zone.
	70:49	Now the puck slides to Sanford and he covers it.
	70:27	Kapanen with a wrister on a Lev rush, pad save Sanford.
	69:48	Plotnikov made a nice backhand pass to Averin, then there's a scramble in the Lev crease. Nobody could get to the rebound and Lev ice it.
	69:30	Musatov tries to make a move at the Lev blueline, he's bumped off the puck but it comes to Averin, his shot is deflected out of play. Faceoff in the Lev zone.
	68:49	Icing Lev.
	68:41	Play behind the Lev net, the puck comes within reach of Vehanen and he puts his glove on it to stop play.
	68:14	Shot from Birner is deflected out of play, faceoff in the Lokomotiv zone.
	67:16	Now a wrister from Ridderwall on the left wing boards, caught and held by Sanford.
	66:15	Holos from the point for Loko, blocked.
	65:31	Offside Lev. They started to put on some pressure there but Lokomotiv's players were collapsing well and giving no clear lanes to the net.
	65:12	Now Nakladal from the point, blocked.
	65:00	Slapper from Gragnani deflected wide.
	64:10	Nemec had the puck at the point, Lev control around the perimeter but don't get a shot.
	62:50	Loko rush, Plotnikov shoots from a sharp angle, right on Vehanen, who holds on. Shots 3-1 Lokomotiv in OT.
	62:14	Petrov the slapper, pad save Vehanen, then the puck goes out of play, faceoff outside.
	61:43	Now Geoff Platt shoots wide on a rush, but he gets his own rebound off the end boards and tries to beat Vehanen five-hole but he got the paddle down and covers.
	61:08	Quick shot from Konkov from the high slot is wide.
	60:36	Lev enter the zone, long wrister from Novotny is caught and held by Sanford.
	60:01	Overtime began.
		The teams are back on the ice and the 1st overtime period will start soon. It's game 4, Lev leads the series 3-0. Lev want to end the series, Lokomotiv want to extend it to a 5th game in Prague on Thursday.
		What drama in that third period. Yaroslavl started the period trailing 2-1 facing elimination, and got a goal from Sergei Konkov with 6:15 left to earn a temporary reprieve. Lev had a late power play that period and came close but couldn't score the winner, so we're headed to overtime. Shots on goal in the third period (and game): Lokomotiv 7 (23), Lev 8 (26). Quality scoring chances: Lokomotiv 2 (10), Lev 4 (9). Sudden-death overtime begins at 19:33 CEST, 13:33 EDT.
	60:00	3rd period finished.
	59:47	Now a one-timer from Nemec, right on Sanford, who holds on with just :03 left in the penalty and :13 left in the period.
	59:33	Kapanen's wrister deflects wide.
	59:02	Nemec's shot through a crowd, deflects out the other side.
	58:20	Azevedo in front to Novotny, he just fails to bang it home. Not sure if he missed or stopped by Sanford.
	57:50	Vrana's shot is caught and held by Sanford, and we've got a Lokomotiv penalty on the play -- Mikels Redlihs for roughing, as he gave a shot to the head of Thornberg in front of the net. Lev to the power play . . . they have a power play goal but have also given up a goal shorthanded today.
	57:30	Oystrick's drive from the point is deflected wide.
	56:03	Galimov the wrister from a sharp angle, hits Vehanen in the arm.
	54:53	Vrana tries to go short side, Sanford gives him no room.
	53:45	Goal for Lokomotiv! From the faceoff in their own end, Lokomotiv rush up the ice, SERGEI KONKOV takes the pass at the top of the circle and fires a wrister that beats Petri Vehanen five-hole. Not sure if he was screened on it. Assists: Jonas Holos, Vladislav Kartayev.
	53:20	Jonas Holos misplays the puck in the corner and Michal Birner gets a gift in font of the Lokomotiv net, but Curtis Sanford makes a possubly season-saving stop and covers it.
	52:21	It seems that the penalties being called are Ilya Lyubushkin (Lokomotiv) and Calle Ridderwall (Lev) 4 minutes each for roughing, and we'll play 5-on-5. Faceoff outside the Lev blueline.
	52:21	The whistle goes as a Lev player is down hurt, then someone shoots the puck into the net after the whistle, the crowd cheers but it's clearly no goal and we've got a bunch of players exchanging shots now for the late shot on goal. The Lev player is defenceman Martin Sevc, who's helped off the ice. He was ridden into the boards awkardly by Galimov.
	51:46	Icing Lokomotiv.
	50:32	Musatov the wrister, right on Vehanen, play continues.
	49:11	Patrik Zackrisson with a long wrister, caught and held by Sanford.
	47:08	Breakaway for Jiri Sekac, makes a move on Sanford, seems to have him beaten but backhands it wide.
	45:27	Icing Lev.
	45:10	Musatov with a huge hit on O'Byrne in the corner in the Lev zone.
	44:40	Lev back at full strength, offside called against Lokomotiv, faceoff at centre ice.
	44:12	Icing Lokomotiv with :15 left in their power play.
	43:50	Lev send it the length of the ice on the PK.
	42:59	Shot misses the net, Galimov takes the rebound off the end boards, kicked out by Vehanen, then another save by Vehanen and he covers with 1:28 left in the penalty.
	42:27	Now another Lev penalty coming as Jiri Sekac is called for hooking. Another power play chance for Lokomotiv.
	42:13	Now a slapper from Lyubushkin, caught and held by Vehanen with just :10 left in the penalty.
	41:55	Kronwall the wrister from the faceoff dot, Vehanen stops it through a crowd and it's iced.
	41:01	Slapper from the point, by Geoff Platt, Petri Vehanen goes down and the rebound is put over the crossbar. Then another shot and he finally covers it.
	40:23	Martin Sevc is called for slashing along the boards in his own zone. Lokomotiv to the power play, 0/2 today.
	40:08	Icing Lev.
	40:01	Start of 3rd period.
		The teams are on the ice and the 3rd period is about to start.
		A wild second period in which there are a ton of chances and 3 goals are scored, including a shorthanded goal by Lokomotiv and nearly another one later, but the missed chance led to Lev's go-ahead, power-play goal the other way. They now lead 2-1 and are 20 minutes from advancing to the Gagarin Cup Final. Shots on goal in the 2nd period: Lokomotiv 8 (16), Lev 11 (18). Quality scoring chances: Lokomotiv 4 (8), Lev 3 (5). 3rd period starts at 18:42 CEST, 12:42 EDT.
	40:00	2nd period finished.
	39:52	Puck deflected out of play in the Lev zone, faceoff inside.
	38:47	Goal for Lev! After the missed Lokomotiv chance at one end, Lev rush back with a 3-on-1 of their own and NATHAN OYSTRICK fires a perfect wrister under the crossbar to put Lev back in the lead. Power-play goal. Assists: Petr Vrana, Martin Thornberg.
	38:40	An intercepted pass and we get another shorthanded Loko rush, this one 3-on-2, but Chernikov deflects the pass wide.
	37:31	Offside Lev with 1:46 left in the power play.
	37:17	We've got another Lokomotiv penalty as Sergei Plotnikov is called for elbowing. He's furious with the call and he has a right to be -- that was a clean shoulder check. Bad call, but Lev to the power play nonetheless.
	36:30	Not a successful power play for Lev, but they now have the puck in the Loko zone.
	34:25	Goal for Lokomotiv! There was a bouncing puck at the Lev blueline and it led to a shorthanded 2-on-1 for Lokomotiv. YEGOR YAKOVLEV had a man with him but he avoided a poke-check attempt by Gragnani and fired a wrister past Vehanen for his team's second goal of the series. Unassisted, shorthanded goal.
	34:15	Slapper from the point by Gragnani s deflected wide.
	33:29	We've now got a Lokomotiv penalty as Alexander Chernikov got his stick up on Jiri Sekac in the neutral zone. Lev to the power play, 0/1 in the game.
	33:00	Centring pass from Petr Vrana is deflected out of play by the stick of Sanford, faceoff in the Lokomotiv zone.
	32:33	Icing Lokomotiv, now 0/2 on the power play.
	31:57	Loko with good possession in the Lev zone on that power play, but the Lev PK keeps them to the outside, Platt's slapper is deflected wide in the dying seconds.
	30:03	Lev's Mikko Maenpaa with a hooking penalty on the play, so Lokomotiv hope to cash in on the power play.
	29:57	A flurry for chances for Lokomotiv, first a slapper from Gorokhov and Vehanen stopped it through a crowd, then Geoff Platt backhanded the rebound off the goalpost, then Platt got the puck again in the high slot and shot but Vehanen stopped that too and freezes it. Platt slams his stick on the ice in frustration.
	29:05	Odd-man Loko rush, Petri Vehanen makes a pad save on the one-time slapper from Sergei Konkov.
	28:29	Icing Lev.
	28:00	Musatov tried to jam the puck in on Vehanen, then the puck popped loose and was blasted wide from the high slot.
	27:15	Sekac the long wrister from the blueline, caught by Sanford and put back in play.
	26:15	Kubalik to Zackrisson for the one-timer from the slot, big glove save by Curtis Sanford.
	25:20	Vishnevsky a slapper, stick save Vehanen.
	24:05	Goal for Lev! On a rush into the zone, Sanford made a pad save on Ridderwall's initial shot, but the rebound hits JIRI NOVOTNY and goes in as a crowd of players crashed into Sanford. Sanford was shaken up on the play, and they reviewed it to make sure the goal was legal, but it stands. Assist: Calle Ridderwall
	23:43	Slapper from Sevc, butterfly save Sanford.
	23:20	Puck deflected out of play in the Lokomotiv zone, faceoff inside.
	22:23	Loko rush, wrister from Redlihs, kicked out by Vehanen.
	21:00	Icing Lokomotiv.
	20:44	Puck deflected out of play in the Lokomotiv zone, faceoff inside. Lev with the early jump.
	20:15	Slapper from Ridderwall on a Lev rush, pad save Sanford.
	20:01	Start of 2nd period.
		Teams returning to the ice and the 2nd period will start shortly.
		The first period ends scoreless, and Lev can thank goalie Petri Vehanen for that, as he continues to give Lokomotiv shooters nightmares. Curtis Sanford was far less busy at the other end, despite the surpringly close shot totals. Shots on goal in the 1st period: Lokomotiv 8, Lev 7. Quality scoring chances: Lokomotiv 4, Lev 2. 2nd period begins at 17:52 CEST, 11:52 EDT.
	20:00	1st period finished.
	19:41	Offside Lokomotiv, on the pass, faceoff at centre ice.
	19:33	Novotny the long wrister, blocker save Sandord.
	19:10	Lev back the other way, shot by Jiri Sekac off the goalpost.
	18:37	Loko 3 on 2, Kronwall joins the rush and shoots, pad save Vehanen, and he stops the rebound too.
	18:10	Repik with a slapper from the right wing faceoff dot, right on Sanford, who holds on.
	17:35	O'Byrne shot from the point deflected wide.
	16:53	Offside Lev.
	14:12	Icing Lokomotiv.
	13:50	Puck deflected out of play in the Lokomotiv zone, faceoff outside.
	13:10	Long wrister from Calle Ridderwall, right on Curtis Sanford, who holds on. Just Lev's 2nd shot of the game -- 6-2 Lokomotiv so far is the total.
	12:50	We're back to 5 on 5 as Lev start back up ice.
	12:13	Vehanen makes a couple more saves on that sequence and then Lev are called for icing. What a start to this game for Petri Vehanen, who has been nearly unbeatable all series.
	11:20	Puck centred from behind the net to Daniil Apalkov and Petri Vehanen absolutely robs him from point blank with a pad save.
	10:42	Michal Birner of Lev and Kirill Kapustin of Lokomotiv are headed to the box from that fracas, so we'll play 4-on-4. Faceoff back in the Lev zone, as it was apparently judged intentional offside.
	10:42	Offside Lev, and we get some pushing and shoving after the whistle.
	10:25	Kronwall gets out of the box and joins the rush, Yuri Petrov the wrister from the top of the circle, caught and held by Vehanen.
	09:31	Ondrej Nemec with the big slapper from the point, it's deflected up and hits Alexei Vasiliev up high and he goes down like a sack of potatoes. He eventually gets up and goes to the bench, faceoff in the Loko zone with :40 left in the penalty.
	08:30	Puck deflected out of play in the neutral zone, faceoff outside the Lev blueline.
	08:12	Patrik Zackrisson is hauled down by Staffan Kronwall heading to the net with the puck. In my book, that's a penalty shot, but only a minor for hooking is called here. Lev to the power play.
	07:04	Gorokhov with a wrister from the point through traffic, right on Vehanen and he holds on again. Lokomotiv with all the early pressure due to the power play, shots are 4-0.
	06:40	Lev back at full strength, but Loko still buzzing in the Lev zone.
	06:05	Then a long shot hits Vehanen in the shoulder and he covers with :27 left in the penalty.
	05:40	Puck went dangerously through the Lev crease, Vehanen makes a butterfly save, then the puck is iced again.
	05:00	Point shot from Kronwall deflected wide, the Lev ice it.
	04:33	Ryan O'Byrne of Lev is getting this game's first penalty for hooking, so Lokomotiv to the early power play.
	03:41	Icing Lev.
	03:30	Puck deflected into the Lev bench, faceoff inside the Lev zone.
	03:02	Offside Lokomotiv.
	02:47	Icing Lokomotiv.
	01:34	Petri Vehanen handles the game's first shot, a Loko shoot-in from centre ice on goal.
	00:01	Game started.
		The national anthems of the Czech Republic and Russian Federation have been played, and the opening faceoff is moments away. Lokomotiv Yaroslavl is wearing their home red uniforms with blue and white trim, red pants and helmets. Lev Praha is wearing their road white uniforms with blue and red trim, red NY Rangers-style pants and white helmets.
		Starting Lineups: Lokomotiv Yaroslavl: Sanford (Kolesnik) – Kronwall, Yakovlev, Vasiliev, Lyubushkin, Vishnevsky, Holøs, Gorokhov (C) – Averin, Apalkov, Plotnikov – Redlihs, Platt, Kapustin – Konkov, Galimov, Kartayev – Chernikov, Petrov, Musatov – Sprukts. Lev Praha: Vehanen (Engren) – Ševc, Mäenpää, Oystrick, Němec, Gragnani, O'Byrne, Nakládal – Ridderwall, Novotný (C), Azevedo – Sekáč, Vrána, Thörnberg – Birner, Kapanen, Řepík – Matai, Zackrisson, Kubalík..
		HC LEV Praha have had to battle every step of the way in this Western Conference Final against Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, so in some ways it seems a little bit surprising that they now sit with a 3-0 series lead, on the brink of advancing to the Gagarin Cup Final. Lokomotiv outshot Lev in each of the first two games at O2 Arena, but the visitors were only able to put one puck behind Petri Vehanen, and that came as the result of a two-man advantage. After another shutout in game 3, the Finnish netminder has now stopped 91 of 92 shots in the series. "I don´t think he´s doing anything special," the goalie said between games 2 and 3, preferring to attract attention to the job of the players in front of him. "The guys make my job a lot easier. Lots of blocked shots, very good defensive play. They´ve done a really good job, but it´s been the same all season." In fact, playing with the lead has been one of the team´s strengths all season, so the fact that they´ve never trailed in the series has given them a huge leg up. In all three games, they´ve opened the scoring in the first period on the power play -- Ondřej Němec in game 1, Nathan Oystrick in game 2, and Martin Thörnberg in game 3. "I think we have a good balance," says Thörnberg, trying to explain the team´s success. "We have good defence and offence. We don´t let the opponent have many chances. And when something does come up, there is still Veha. Our game is now perfect. For Yaroslavl, that makes it difficult to play against us. However, sometimes they may lack a bit of luck."
		Welcome. Game 4 of this Western Conference Final series starts at 19:00 MSK local time in Yaroslavl, 17:00 CEST in Prague, 11:00 EDT.

Commentary by

Derek OBrien

@@Djob76

Goals & lineups Match log

Goals and assists: 35. Yakovlev, 54. Konkov (Holos, Kartayev), 80. Plotnikov (Kartayev, Kronwall) – 25. Novotny (Ridderwall), 39. Oystrick (Vrana, Thornberg)

Lokomotiv Yaroslavl: Sanford (Kolesnik) – Kronwall, Yakovlev, Vasiliev, Lyubushkin, Vishnevsky, Holøs, Gorokhov (C) – Averin, Apalkov, Plotnikov – Redlihs, Platt, Kapustin – Konkov, Galimov, Kartayev – Chernikov, Petrov, Musatov – Sprukts.

Lev Praha: Vehanen (Engren) – Ševc, Mäenpää, Oystrick, Němec, Gragnani, O'Byrne, Nakládal – Ridderwall, Novotný (C), Azevedo – Sekáč, Vrána, Thörnberg – Birner, Kapanen, Řepík – Matai, Zackrisson, Kubalík.

1st period
	04:33
	08:12
	10:42
1st intermission
2nd period
	24:05
	30:03
	33:29
	34:25
	37:17
	38:47
2nd intermission
3rd period
	40:23
	42:27
	52:21
	53:45
	57:50
After 3rd period
Overtime
	79:45
Final/OT