Dinamo Riga - Metallurg Magnitogorsk, game review

Dinamo Riga VS
Metallurg Magnitogorsk
27.11.2008
1-2 (OT)

After 8 loss straight Dinamo Riga yesterday won game against Traktor Chelyabinsk, where Dinamo Riga won in this KHL game 5-0, so boosting up player morale for todays game. Earyer this month Dinamo Riga already played against Metallurg Magnitogorsk, where Dinamo Riga lost 3-5 to them in a tigh game, earlier game review you can find here. Before this game Metallurg Magnitogorsk was ranked 6th in KHL with 20 wins in 28 games, in otherhand Dinamo Riga was ranked only 16th with 10 wins, Dinamo Riga has to make Top16 to fit in to the playoff spot. For Dinamo Riga, next games are really important.

Today for Dinamo Riga his first appearance had Gints Meija for Dinamo Riga he turned 21 this september, starting goalies for today were Martin Prusek for Dinamo Riga and Ilja Proskuryako for Metallurg Magnitogorsk. First minutes in the game away team hold puck more, but Dinamo Riga made some good counter-attacks in return. After few moments Proskuryako made some mistake which could gone in to concerning goal, but no luck this time. After few moments Dinamo Riga fans cheered ''Lauris! Lauris!'' and Lauris Darzins encouraged by that made a good shot, but without a goal, then after few moments our new player Gints Meija interepted the puck from Metallurg and had a great chance to score, but without any result. In tenth minute Federov made a great shot, but Martin Prusek held on to it. In 13th minute Gints Meija had another great opportunity to score, but again no luck, a great start to our young player, two shots already in his first period in KHL. After few moments Dinamo Riga had two powerplays, but there was no result for them. In 17th minute our defenseman Duvie Westcott had a great opportunity, but again no result in the game tablo. In the last minute of 1st period visitors had a few good chances, but with no result, so 1st period ended with a draw 0-0.

Already at the start of the 2nd period Dinamo Riga had a few great opertunities to score, but again without a goal, afterwards Metallurg Magnetorogrsk had a few dangerous attacks and again great in goal was Martin Prusek. In 6th minute Lauris Darzins did not got a puck yet again in the net and moment later Duvie Westcott received 2 minute penalty, so only now for the first time Dinamo Riga was left for the short-handed situation. Metallurg was holding the puck in Dinamo Riga zone all the time, but Martin Prusek was in his place. In 10th minute Darzins had again made some great situations to score, but sadly - no result. In 2nd period second half Dinamo Riga had had played better hockey then Metallurg, as Dinamo attacked more with dangerous shots. In 16th minute Marcel Hossa had a chance, but he did not score and Metallurg had a quick counter-attack that almost resulted in a goal, Prusek was in place and also big share of luck helped. 3 minutes before the end of second period Filip Novak received 2 minute penalty and Dinamo had yet again played in short-handed, Metallurg had great chances but these changes did not turned in to result, after Filip Novak steped back on the ice, Metallurg had a great opportunity, but they did not score in the empty net, yet again Prusek was in his place and luck helped, end of the period 0-0. Goalies for the boath teams are on their best game tonight.

3rd period started equaly but none of the teams did not had a good chance to score, in fifth minute Lauris Darzins made a shot from blue line, but Metallurg's goalie was in his place. After few moments both teams had really great chances, but neither of them scored. After few minutes Dinamo Riga earned a power play, in which Dinamo Riga made some great attaacks, after few moments there was a mistake by Dinamo Riga defenseman and 2 minutes for blocking received Kristaps Sotnieks, who yesterday made his first point to apear on stats near G. Now both teams played four-on-four where better looked Dinamo Riga, after few moments when Metallurg's player steped back on ice from penalty box, Aleksandrs Nizivijs with a great wrist-shot in lower corner made 1-0! After this successful episode Dinamo Riga was still attacking, there was a great opportunity to double the score, but sadly, no goal. Already in 13th minute with counter-attack Metallurg Magnetogorsk made an equalizer 1-1 with a great quick-shot, and at this moment Marcel Hossa had some anger managment problems and received 1o minutes for bad behavior. In 13th minute Aleksandrs Nizivijs received an absurd 2 minute penalty, I don't know where referee was looking, but there was NOT a penalty, Nizivijs beraly touched Metallugs player. Dinamo Riga was not far from concerning second goal, but with great defensive play Dinamo Riga was able to hold on to a draw. After few minutes our captain Rodrigo Lavins made an obvious tripping but luckily for us he did not receive a penalty. In the last moments in third period Mikelis Redlihs had made an wrap-around, but without scoring a goal. So after 60 minutes we were heading into overtime. 1-1 after third.

In the overtime there was no great scoring chances, tho better looked Dinamo Riga, only notable moment was when Atvars Tribuncovs received 2 minutes 6 seconds before end of the overtime. Now time for shoot-out.

Shoot-out: First shooter for Dinamo Riga was Aleksandrs Nizivijs,...he made a great deak...a post!...First shooter for Metallurg was Chistov and he made a score 1-0 in favor for Metallurg. Second shooter for Dinamo was Martins Cipulis - POST! Yet again, how unfortunate for Dinamo. Second shooter for Metallurg did not score, mised by a mile. Lauris Darzins steped on a ice to make a third shot - showed some good moves with his hands..., he scores! Now Metallurg had to shoot their third shot in shoot-out - ..., no goal, really a terrible shot, player shooted right on Prusek. Now 4th shot was taken again by Chistov - ..., he scores, a great shot by him, yet again. For Dinamo Riga next shooter was Marcel Hossa - he was preparing for the shot for a few moments - he goes to the net...Proskuryako, game over. 1-2 Metallurgs won.

A great game, best in November for Dinamo Riga, in my opinion, best players for Dinamo Riga were - Martin Prusek, Lauris Darzins, Aleksandrs Nizivijs. Also a great debut for Gints Meija, we will se what he will do in next games, he has a potential.

Dinamo Riga – Metallurg Magnitogorsk 2:1 (0:0, 0:0, 1:1, 0:1)
Goals: 47:42 Nizivijs (Tribuncovs, Hartigan), 52:04 Kudrna (Fedorov).

Download video (torrent) from here.

Pictures had been taken from esports.lv

P.S.S Next game (against Salavat Yulaev) I will be attending for my self, so next review will be in next day after the game.