Metallurg Mg - Dinamo Riga, game review

Metallurg Magnitogorsk VS Dinamo Riga
13.11.2008
5-3

Dinamo was weakened for the game. Our leaders Marcel Hossa and Matt Ellison were out due to a disqualification for the fights in the last game. Dinamo’s new goalkeeper, Martin Prusek took the place in the net.

The game in the first period was rather equal, although Riga was a little better. Dinamo had more shots on goal - 11:8, more goal-scoring moments, but Metallurg looked quite withered. Dinamo Riga managed to score in power-play two times, after Aleksandrs Nizivijs shot in the beginning and Girts Ankipans in the middle of the period. So Riga’s lead after the first 20 minutes was appropriate.

Metallurg began the second period the same. Only in the fifth minute Magnitka earned a power-play, which they, however, used – a ricochet on Zavarukhin’s hook and 1:2. After some minutes Mikelis Redlihs passed the puck from behind the net on his partner, who shoted, Proskuryakov didn’t catch the puck and Lauris Darzins got it in to the empty net! But the goal wasn’t counted… The referee went to watch the video, where he saw, there was a penalty from Dinamo’s side (high-sticking against Kaigorodoff) before scoring. Darzinsh got a 5+20 and the team was left short-handed for five minutes. The first two minutes Riga defended nicely, but then Igor Mirnoff tied the score! And after just one minute and 7 seconds Kudrna, after Pruseck had beat off the puck, gave his team the lead. After such a nightmare, Dinamo got a power-play, which was necessarily for at least getting some rest. Metallurg was its self again, so after – the home team dictated their own rules, attacking almost all the time (the shots after this period were 15:5). On the periods last minute Blinovs got a minor penalty for hooking. It was good for Dinamo, that the siren rang – Metallurg was close to score.

Dinamo was still SH in the beginning of the third period, but Magnitka didn’t do anything. Riga went on attacking, Magnitogorsk – counter-attacking. Dinamo didn’t have many chances to score, but on the eighth minute they got PP and after 57 seconds Metallurg was left with only three players. Riga had to score and did – Hartigan with an awesome wrist shot in the top of the net!! But a few minutes later Platonoff after a shot from behind the net once again gave his team the lead. An unnecessary goal, but it’s hard to judge Prusek, because it’s almost impossible to react, when goals are scored from this position. Once again Riga needed to score. But the team didn’t, Metallurg, however, did – on a counter-attack Rolineck passed on Yaroslav Kudrna, who wasn’t covered at all, but ought have been – two of Dinamo’s defensemen were right near him. Riga got a penalty after this goal, so the winner of the match was practically clear.

Despite the defeat, I think, our team did quite well. Metallurg is a high-class team and it’s not easy playing against it. Riga, however, showed a good game and once again proved that it can battle with teams, which are at a higher level.

Dinamo’s next game is with Traktor on November 15th.

Metallurg Magnitogorsk - Dinamo Riga 5:3 (0:2, 3:0, 2:1)
Goals: 2:36 Nizivijs (PP) 0:1, 13:55 Ankipans (Novak, PP) 0:2, 26:20 Zavaruhins (Selujanov, PP) 1:2, 29:51 Mirnov (Chistov, PP) 2:2, 30:58 Kudrna (Rolinek, PP) 3:2, 49:58 Hartigans(PP) 3:3, 51:41 Platonov (Varlamov) 4:3, 55:18 Kudrna (Rolinek, Marek) 5:3

Penalties: 14 – 35

Game Video - here (File size 1.5GB)