KHL
Neftekhimik – HC Lada Togliatti 4:2 (end)
final
HC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk
4:2 (3:0, 1:2, 0:0)
HC Lada Togliatti
Thursday 11.09.2014, 17:00 • Nizhnekamsk Arena • KHL
     
    There's the final buzzer, and HC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk in a tense battle have seen off HC Lada Togliatti 4:2! After a fantastic start it wasn't plain sailing at all for the hosts, and they had to work hard for the win. Maxim Rybin and a Egor Milovzorov double put the hosts three to the good early on, before Lada got within one through goals from Yury Petrov and Semyon Valuiskiy. Neftekhimik weren't to be denied though, and Tim Stapleton made the points safe. Thanks for following the game with us, and see you again soon for more thrilling KHL action! (19:17:46)
     
    60:00
    Game over.
     
    59:31
    We're now already into the final seconds with Neftekhimik heading for a nervy 4:2 win at home!
     
    58:01
    Lada have got themselves set up very deep inside Neftekhimik's zone but they're struggling to find many clear shooting opportunities, although Ville Koppinen under pressure here punches a slapper from the point wide!
     
    56:03
    With already under four minutes remaining Lada are back at full strength having defended solidly during that penalty kill
     
    54:03
    Lada have picked up a very untimely penalty here, as Jiri Hunkes for slashing has been handed a two minute minor. It's a perfect opportunity for the hosts to completely finish it!
     
    53:50
    Pyotor Khokhryakov is the next to test the Lada goalkeeper's reactions, but from a difficult angle to the left he doesn't cause Jeff Glass two many problems
     
    53:30
    Milovzorov! That could have killed the hosts' nerves! A poor Lada turnover lets in Egor Milovzorov, but moving in down the left he can only find Jeff Glass' glove!
     
    53:13
    Mikhail Zhukov has space opening up in front of him at the blue line, he slaps in early with pace but the netminder gets his body right behind it
     
    51:46
    As Neftekhimik are becoming ever encamped inside their own zone they are now back at full strength and won't be wanting to give away any more needless penalties!
     
    50:55
    A timeout has already been taken by the visitors, time is starting to run against them and they have to force the issue!
     
    50:45
    Ville Kolppanen crouched down glove side does really well to not let a strong slapshot from the right faceoff circle sneak past him! He's having to work for his money now!
     
    49:46
    Not for long though! Lada have been handed another excellent powerplay chance, as now Neftekhimik's Maxim Berezin has been called for holding
     
    48:51
    Neftekhimik don't seem to have a lot of gas left after they started so brightly early on, but to their relief they're back at full strength again
     
    48:45
    Chernikov! What a chance to get Lada back within one! From behind the net to the left Alexander Chernikov is picked out at the doorstep, but he contrives to smash it over the far post! He had to hit the target from that position!
     
    48:01
    Hunkes! Completely all on his own on the left faceoff circle Jiri Hunkes is fed, he slaps in first time but Ville Kolppanen gets across brilliantly to grab a hold of it!
     
    46:51
    Joshua Hennessy is the next to be on his way to the penalty box for Neftekhmik, as he has been found guilty of slashing
     
    46:31
    Dan Sexton, one of Neftekhimik's liveliest players today, buys some time for his team as just by the left faceoff circle he wrists into the netminder's body forcing him to freeze
     
    45:40
    The hosts are coming under real pressure, and with real trouble they're clearing their lines! And they have five players back on to the ice
     
    44:01
    Dan Sexton shorthanded skates into the attacking zone three against one, squeezes away a wrister but Jeff Glass shuts the five hole just in time! That could have caught him out!
    Commentary by

    Shaun Nicolaides

    Goals & lineups Match log
    Goals and assists: 8. Rybin (Evseenko), 14. Milovzorov, 17. Milovzorov (Sexton), 29. Stapleton (Sexton, Milovzorov) – 23. Petrov (Chernikov), 26. Valuiskiy

    HC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk: Kolppanen (Sudnitsin)- Eronen, Ryazantsev, Stapleton, Sexton, Milovzorov- Berezin, Antropov, Hennessy, Stepanov, Khokhryakov- Evseenkov, Bilalov, Klimenko, Zhukov, Rybin- Bryntsev, Polygalov, Alshevskiy, Zdunov
    HC Lada Togliatti: Glass (Semyonov)- Romanov, Podkhradskiy, Chernikov, Petrov, Golubev- Hunkes, Sloboda, Zatovic, Valuiskiy, Bocharov- Vorobyov, Ogurtsov, Zyuzyakin, Shenfeld, Nikitenko- Shulakov, Sharov, Fakhrutdinov, A Streltsov, V Streltsov
    Referees: Alexey Ravodin, Yury Ronn, Dmitry Parfyonov, Alexander Sysuev
    Attendance: 5500