Yaroslavl Lokomotiv - Dinamo Riga, game review

Lokomotiv vs.

Dinamo Riga

03.12.08

2:4

The goalkeepers were Gelashvili and Naumovs.

Dinamo controlled the puck more the starting minutes, but the first shots were held only on the second minute, after which Lokomotiv had a counter-attack, but without luck. Then Riga again went attacking. Ankipans and Hossa made some nice shots, and again Loko had a counter-attack. On the 9th minute Lokomotiv (Mikhnov) had its first real moment, but Naumovs made a great save. Then the teams started exchanging attacks, Riga still held the puck more, but Lokomotiv’s shots were a little more dangerous. On the 15th minute Ellison was alone in front of the net, but he couldn’t handle the puck properly, so no goal. Yaroslavl once again made a counter-attack and Irgl almost scored, Naumov was in his place. The most interesting thing of the period happened on the 19th minute – M. Redlihs run one-on-one, elegantly overplayed the defenseman, shot and hit Gelashvili, but the puck still slided into the net – 1:0 for Dinamo after the first twenty minutes. The speeds were low, no penalties, shots in the period – 8 for Loko and twice as much for Dinamo – 16.

Teams exchanged attacks in the beginning of the second period. Dinamo had a better chance to score. On the 4th minute Meija had a nice opportunity, he didn’t score, but he got a power-play for his team, in which Riga let Loko to counter-attack twice, but on the last seconds Darzins gave Dinamo a 2:0 lead! Then Riga got a penalty (Westcott for tripping) and Lokomotiv needed only 28 seconds to make the score 1:2! The home team continued pressing. Nilson run into Sotnieks, there was blood, but the body-check was correct, so no punitive was applied. Then Ellison got a penalty. Loko attacked very dangerously, Naumovs was great; Westcott had a counter-attack once. After some seconds after Ellison was back on the ice, Dinamo once again got 2 minutes (Darzins) and once again Loko had some very dangerous shots, especially in the end of the penalty, when the puck almost crossed the net line. On the 19th minute Galvins and Cipulis skated into Loko’s zone, Guntis passed to Martins and Dinamo’s #47 didn’t miss – a wrist-shot and 3:1 for Riga! Before the break Anikeyenko had an opportunity to score. Dinamo used its chances in the second period, Loko didn’t, although the home team was much better. Shots in the second period: Loko – 16, Dinamo – 11 (24-27 after 40 minutes of the game).

Both teams had moments at the beginning of the third period. On the 3rd minute Cipruss got a penalty. Nurislamov, Anikeyenko didn’t use their chances. Dinamo was at full-strength when Mikhnov had a great opportunity to score being in front of the net. Then Konkov along with his partner didn’t use their chance. Lokomotiv was attacking like it still had a PP. Another missed moment for Zhukov. No wonder the game operators showed Naumovs so often. Sergejs was the main hero, thanks to whom the score didn’t change. But Dinamo’s goalie couldn’t always be the savior. On 49:01 Galimov made 2:3. Alexandr with his partner Mikhnov twisted Dinamo’s defenceman and scored right in the goalkeepers five hole! Loko continued pressing. Riga again was short-handed. Yashin, Galimov had nice moments. Lokomotiv players attacked and attacked, they couldn’t score, but they once again got a PP. Dinamo defended well. The time was slipping away fast. Lokomotiv took a time-out, pulled the goalie out and 17 seconds before the serene Mark Hartigan strikes the empty net! Dinamo won 4:2!

Riga showed very good hockey today, but I think Loko was a little stronger and also unlucky. The team from Yaroslavl didn’t use those many chances they had, Dinamo, on the other hand, used theirs. The great game, that Naumovs and Riga’s defenders showed, allowed our team to keep the proper result.

Dinamo's next game - December 5th with Dinamo from Minsk.

Lokomotiv - Dinamo 2:4 (0:1, 1:2, 2:1)

Goals: 18:21 Redlihs (Darzins) 0:1, 26:02 Darzins (Berzins, Redlihs) 0:2, 27:57 Guskov (Syemin, Rudenko, PP) 1:2, 38:05 Cipulis (Galvins, Nizivijs) 1:3, 49:01 Galimov (Mikhnov) 2:3, 59:53 Hartigan (Hossa) 2:4.

Penalties: 2-12.

Highlights:


Pictures and video download will be available, hopefully, in nearest days.