Liberec – TPS 1:2 (2:3 after SO) | Sparta – Cracovia 5:4 (end) | Lukko – Zürich 2:3 (1:2 after SO)
Kärpät – Vitkovice 1:0 (end) | Zug – IFK Helsinki 2:1 (end)
final
Kärpät Oulu
1:0 (0:0, 0:0, 0:0 - 1:0)
Vítkovice Ostrava
Friday 26.08.2016, 18:00 • Oulun Energia-Areena • Champions League • Group E
     
    Welcome. Game starts at 18:00.
     
    Having won the reverse match-up on opening day in Ostrava, Karpat host Vitkovice knowing that just a point will guarantee them a place in the Round of 32. For the Czechs, who also lost in Krefeld during their road trip last week, they are still yet to get on the board in terms of points and are in need of something to stay in control of their own destiny.

    "Bounces haven't gone our way so far," bemoaned Vitkovice head coach Jakub Petr of the opening two losses. "We played well in both games, but we need to play consistently the whole game to have a chance to win. We were working on that before the game in Oulu."
     
    Starting lineups:

    Kärpät Oulu: Rynnäs (Aittokallio) – Bryhnisveen, Heshka, Ronkainen, Hakanpää, Mikkola, Niemelä, Kukkonen – Saarinen, Pyörälä, Lehtonen – Mäenalanen, Ruohomaa, Leskinen – Kähkönen, Kalapudas, Vartiainen – Sailio, Humaloja, Kestilä

    Vítkovice Ostrava: Bartosak (Dolejs) – Vytisk, Sedlak, Baranka, Kovar, Sloboda, Klok, Puzic – Roman, Zdrahal, Kveton – Kucsera, Kolouch, Vandas – Nemec, Olesz, Balan – Illes, Gres, Szturc, Tomi

    Referees: Ohlund, Salonen – Peramaki, Thomann.
    Warm-up.
     
    Teams are on ice and the game is about to start.
     
    Welcome to the liveblog of CHL game between Kärpät Oulu and Vitkovice Ostrava!
     
    00:01
    Game started.
     
    00:05
    Kärpät wins the first faceoff.
     
    00:36
    Rynnäs covers the puck.
     
    00:53
    Kärpät with a scoring chance.
     
    01:30
    Kukkonen opens but Kärpät can't get over the neutral zone.
     
    01:31
    Vitkovice starts an attak from their own zone and get the puck on the offensive zone. Rynnäs covers the puck for a faceoff.
     
    02:30
    The first line of Kärpät is having a pressuring attack.
     
    03:00
    Good shot from Baranka!
     
    03:30
    Hakanpää dumps the puck.
     
    04:00
    Broken plays on the neutral zone.
     
    04:33
    Too many players on ice for Kärpät. Vartiainen serves the penalty.
     
    05:00
    Good slapshot on powerplay!
     
    06:00
    Vitkovice loses the puck on the offensive zone two times in a row.
     
    06:32
    Not a succesful powerplay by Vitkovice.
     
    07:30
    Kolouch with a superb chance but Rynnäs with an even better save!
     
    08:52
    Rynnäs covers a bouncing puck in front of the goal.
     
    09:30
    The game is being played in the corners.
     
    09:35
    Vitkovice ices the puck
     
    10:09
    Vitkovice clears the puck but Kärpät is on the attack again. Good slap shot from the defender.
     
    10:19
    Penalty for Vítkovice Ostrava (Kveton – 2 min., interference).
     
    11:29
    Kärpät powerplay is flowing. Ronkainen shoots two times from the blue line but Dolejs saves.
     
    12:20
    Vitkovice clears the puck two times in a row.
     
    13:00
    Turnover in the neutral zone to Vitkovice.
     
    13:53
    A good chance to score for Vitkovice. Rynnäs got run over by a Vitkovice player.
    The Czechs don't know that if you run around like that in Raksila's "airport" too long, you will get tired and lose all energy.
     
    14:53
    Penalty for Vítkovice Ostrava (Olesz – 2 min., roughing).
    Penalty for Kärpät Oulu (Mäenalanen – 2 min., roughing).
     
    15:10
    Good chances by Kärpät on four on four. No goal.
     
    15:22
    Kveton shoots a wrist shot from the side, Rynnäs saves with the glove.
     
    15:30
    Good hit by Klok!
     
    16:20
    Käpät is holding the puck in the offensive corner.
     
    16:40
    Vitkovice with a counter attack, Rynnäs saves.
     
    16:53
    Opening pass from Ronkainen goes icing.
     
    17:05
    A hassle in front of Kärpät goal.
     
    18:07
    Penalty for Vítkovice Ostrava (Nemec – 2 min. + 10 min. misconduct penalty). Checking to the head.
     
    19:17
    Kärpät powerplay is going well. Couple of chances but Vitkovice stands strong.
     
    19:56
    Kärpät passes the puck on powerplay but doesn't get good shots to the goal.
     
    20:00
    1st period finished.
     
    A puck bounces from the back boards in the last seconds but Mäenalanen misses it.
     
    20:01
    Start of 2nd period.
     
    20:15
    Saarinen shoots the puck. A pad save.
     
    20:40
    Vitkovice dumps the puck.
     
    21:48
    Penalty for Vítkovice Ostrava (Sloboda – 2 min., hooking).
     
    21:59
    Pyörälä misses a chance from in front of the goal.
     
    23:05
    Vitkovice gets a clear.
     
    23:20
    Olesz breaks away but Rynnäs saves.
     
    23:59
    Full strength but Kärpät continues to attack.
     
    24:32
    Mikkola fails a shot on the line and Vitkovice gets the puck.
     
    25:06
    A pass from Humaloja to Sailio goes icing. A faceoff from Kärpät end.
     
    25:20
    Vitkovice closes the neutral zone well but Kärpät gets to the zone.
     
    26:05
    Penalty for Vítkovice Ostrava (Zdrahal – 2 min., holding).
     
    26:20
    Vitkovice brings the puck to Kärpät zone
    Kärpät has brought attitude to this period. Suikkanen has cooked some poisonous soup.
     
    26:40
    Good slap shots from Kärpät! Dolejs saves.
     
    27:35
    Kärpät plays too small on the power play and lose the puck.
     
    27:56
    A good chance for Kärpät from the slot. Dolejs saves again.
     
    28:30
    Lehtonen with a nice between the legs trick.
     
    29:10
    Vitkovice is playing strong on the neutral zone again.
     
    30:16
    Vitkovice is winning the battles near the boards.
     
    30:30
    Pyörälä shot is blocked.
     
    30:59
    Pyörälä poke checks a pass in front of his own goal.
     
    31:50
    Kärpät can't get a line change going.
     
    32:10
    Away team gets the puck to the zone.
     
    32:40
    Illes tries to shoot from between his legs, Rynnäs saves easily.
     
    32:42
    Teams aren't getting very good scoring chances.
     
    33:00
    Sailio gets the puck to the offensive zone. Vitkovice clears and goes on attack.
     
    33:05
    Vitkovice defender shoots over the goal.
     
    34:00
    Rynnäs saves an easy shot from the side.
     
    34:10
    Lehtonen skates fast to the zone but loses his helmet.
     
    34:23
    Niemelä shoots and Dolejs saves with his glove.
     
    34:42
    Two good saves from Rynnäs in a row.
     
    34:59
    Vitkovice goes on attack after a turnover.
     
    35:20
    Ronkainen blocks a strong slapshot from a defender.
     
    35:38
    Rynnäs closes the puck after a good save.
     
    36:10
    Sailio takes a good hit from Vitkovice player.
     
    36:50
    Niemelä misses the puck with an open goal in front of him after a good crossing pass.
     
    38:10
    Kärpä can't get the puck over the neutral zone.
     
    39:10
    Good forechecking by Vitkovice.
     
    39:40
    Kärpät throws the puck to the offensive zone.
     
    39:55
    Kähkönen can't get a shot in front of the goal. The puck continues to bounce for a while but no goal.
     
    40:00
    2nd period finished.
     
    The game is even after two periods. Rynnäs with 19 saves and Dolejs with 20 saves. Let's hope for a goal or two in the third period.
    Same finishing problem comes up from time to time each year? Chances don't seem to come or Kärpät don't score from their chances.
     
    40:01
    Start of 3rd period.
     
    40:10
    Vitkovice goes on the attack first.
     
    40:57
    Mäenalanen gets a good pass break on the neutral zone.
     
    42:10
    Vitkovice can't get away from their own zone.
     
    42:40
    Vitkovice pass goes for icing.
     
    42:58
    Now Kärpät can't get from their own zone.
     
    43:30
    Crowd is demanding a penalty for Vitkovice for tripping.
     
    44:05
    Leskinen takes the puck to the zone but Kärpät can't get a good scoring chance.
     
    44:50
    Sedlak blocks a wrist shot in front of the goal and looks shaken up.
     
    45:30
    A dangerous looking situation in front of Rynnäs goal. No goal after a couple of good tries. The puck goes along the goal line.
     
    46:10
    Kukkonen dumps the puck.
     
    46:40
    The crowd is angry after a dangerous looking low hit from a Vitkovice player on the blue line, no penalty.
     
    47:00
    Vitkovice chips the puck away, no icing.
     
    47:30
    Kärpät gets away from the pressure in their own end.
     
    48:13
    Hakanpää shoots a wrist shot well over to the fish nets.
     
    48:20
    Hakanpää shoots a blasting one timer from a Ruohomaa pass but Dolejs saves it.
    48:20 Vitkovice do have many chances to score, unfortunately the game remains scoreless.
     
    48:49
    Olesz shoots a one timer but Rynnäs saves with the glove.
     
    49:36
    Kukkonen blocks a shot in a typical manner of his. He shows why he's the captain of Kärpät.
     
    50:20
    Teams make line changes. Vitkovice holds the puck behind the goal for a while.
     
    50:37
    The puck goes over the boards.
     
    51:10
    Vitkovice defender breaks a good pass to Ruohomaa in front Dolejs.
     
    51:41
    Rynnäs covers the puck for a faceoff after a save.
     
    51:45
    Kukkonen holds the puck in their own zone and opens with a pass.
     
    52:10
    A slow shot from Kärpät goes wide.
     
    52:20
    Neither team can make a good attack.
     
    53:37
    Dolejs covers the puck for a faceoff.
     
    53:55
    Vitkovice dumps the puck and get it deep but can't get anything going.
     
    54:20
    Nemec passes to Olesz but he can't get the puck in front of the goal.
     
    55:46
    Hakanpää with a forceful hit.
     
    56:10
    The game is being played along the boards.
     
    56:28
    Vitkovice with good chances from the blue line. One shot saved by Rynnäs with blocker and the other one blocked.
     
    56:28
    A high flying puck goes to the glove of Dolejs.
     
    56:37
    Penalty for Kärpät Oulu (Sailio – 2 min., roughing).
    Penalty for Vítkovice Ostrava (Roman – 2 min., roughing).
     
    58:35
    Crowd wants a tripping penalty.
     
    59:11
    Two good saves from Rynnäs keep this game tied.
     
    59:45
    Vitkovice gets the puck to the zone but can't get a scoring chance.
     
    60:00
    3rd period finished.
     
    Game is tied after three periods. Overtime begins soon. Kärpät assures the playoff spot getting at least a one point.
     
    Dolejs has only one save in the last period. Rynnäs with nine saves.
     
    Overtime is 5 minutes three on three.
     
    60:01
    Overtime began.
     
    60:26
    Kärpät moves the puck well. Pyörälä misses his chance, no goal yet.
     
    60:40
    Vitkovice starts behind their goal and brings the puck to the offensive zone.
     
    60:55
    Kveton rings the post!
    Game is scoreless, powerplay follows.
     
    62:09
    Rynnäs covers the puck.
     
    62:20
    Olesz leaves the puck for Sloboda who shoots but Rynnäs saves with the blocker.
     
    62:57
    Goal! A nice tic tac toe from Kärpät. Mikael Ruohomaa passes to Mikko Lehtonen who passes to Mikko Niemelä who scores the over time winner.
    62:57 Mikko NIEMELÄ - 1:0
     
    65:00
    Overtime finished. (20:20:06)
    Quite a fierce opening to the season now that Mikko "Mies" Niemelä scored the winning goal in the first home game.
    Recommend
    Commentary by

    Markus Leskinen

    Goals & lineups Match log
    Goals and assists: 63. Niemelä (Lehtonen, Ruohomaa)

    Kärpät Oulu: Rynnäs (Aittokallio) – Bryhnisveen, Heshka, Ronkainen, Hakanpää, Mikkola, Niemelä, Kukkonen – Saarinen, Pyörälä, Lehtonen – Mäenalanen, Ruohomaa, Leskinen – Kähkönen, Kalapudas, Vartiainen – Sailio, Humaloja, Kestilä
    Vítkovice Ostrava: Dolejs (Bartosak) – Vytisk, Sedlak, Baranka, Kovar, Sloboda, Klok, Puzic – Roman, Zdrahal, Kveton – Kucsera, Kolouch, Vandas – Nemec, Olesz, Balan – Illes, Gres, Szturc, Tomi
    Referees: Ohlund, Salonen – Peramaki, Thomann
    Attendance: 4617