Dinamo - Avangard, review

Dinamo Riga vs.
Avangard Omsk
16.01.09

5:4 OT

The goalkeepers were Martin Prusek for Dinamo and for Avangard – Adam Svoboda, their new goalie, for who this game was a debut.

Dinamo Riga began the match more active and opened the result on the 3rd minute – Matt Ellison won the face-off, gave the puck away to Marcel Hossa, who scored with a mighty snap-shot. Then – Dinamo played short-handed for two times. Avangard’s attacks weren’t so dangerous. On the 12th minute Dinamo got an opportunity for a power-play, but it was wasted. As the period was coming to the end, the home team was still more active, which allowed it to get another PP and to score the second goal – after Mark Hartigan’s shot the puck hit Svoboda’s skate blade and flied into the net. But less than a minute later the guests reduced the result: a beautiful two on one combination and Igor Volkov overplayed Dinamo’s goalie. Precisely two minutes later, when Riga was playing in a power-play once again, Krisjanis Redlihs with a long-shot made the score comfortable for Dinamo before the break – 3:1.

The beginning of the second period was behind Avangard Omsk, but later to the period the game became more equal or better to say – Dinamo got a little advantage. Well, our team had numerous goal-scoring chances, but luck was on Avangard’s side, as well as our players need to work on their attack endings. Avangard, however, used its opportunities. On the 15th minute Anton Kuryanov with a beautiful shot made the result 3:2, but a few minutes later Jaromir Jagr and Dmitri Pestunov after an effective combination tied it.

In the beginning of the third period the home team was better. In one of the episodes Duvie Westcott fouled on Jagr and received a penalty for that, but, boy, how the crowd welcomed Jaromir’s falling on the ice! :-) Well, actually, it’s a pretty big dead – to make Jaromir Jagr fall. The Czech player is a mighty guy; some of our Dinamo players even look small on his background :-) Back to the game: Avangard didn’t do anything special during the PP and continued to play more intently after. In the middle of the period Dinamo was penalized for having too many players on the ice. The player that went to the penalty box was Dinamo’s debutant – Edijs Brahmanis. Congratulations with your first mark in the game report, Edij! :-) Several moments later Dinamo was left three on five. Of course, Avangard Omsk used its two-man advantage and for the first time in the game took the lead – 3:4. Dinamo was still left short-handed, but held out the remaining time. Then – Riga had a power-play for two times, but without anything, despite the good opportunities to score. It looked like Avangard has won this match, but no – on 58:19 Kristaps Sotnieks’ (games MVP, by the way. The kid's progressing!) great shot from a sharp angle and right into the top corner made the score 4:4 and moved the game into over-time!

The teams, of course, were very careful, but in the middle Omsk received a penalty, a penalty in the OT – that’s always too dangerous and almost always – a goal. What Dinamo Riga and Mark Hartigan proved – a 5:4 victory and two points for the home team!

This game was the last of four with Avangard Omsk. The results of the last three were 3:2 and 2:0 for Dinamo Riga and a 3:0 for Avangard. So, Dinamo has a positive balance of matches against Avangard. Riga gained 8 points out of a possible 12, the goal difference is +1 (10–9). At this time, Omsk is a convenient opponent for Dinamo.

Next game – Monday, January 19, against Lokomotiv Yaroslavl.

Match goals here. Enjoy!

Dinamo Riga – Avangard Omsk 5:4 OT (3:1, 0:2, 1:1, 1:0)

Goals:

1:0 - 02:52 Marcel Hossa (Matt Ellison), 2:0 - 15:39 Mark Hartigan (Matt Ellison, Marcel Hossa, PP), 2:1 - 16:27 Igor Volkov (Dmitri Vlasenkov, Anton Kuryanov), 3:1 - 18:27 Krisjanis Redlihs (Martins Cipulis, PP), 3:2 - 34:53 Anton Kuryanov (Alexandr Popov), 3:3 - 36:28 Dmitri Pestunov (Jaromir Jagr), 3:4 - 50:59 Vyacheslav Belov (Jakub Klepish, Jaromir Jagr, PP), 4:4 - 58:19 Kristaps Sotnieks (Armands Berzins), 5:4 - 63:15 Mark Hartigan (Duvie Westcott, Matt Ellison, PP).

Penalties: 12 - 18.