Ice Hockey 2020 - 2021 Discussion Thread

[phelps 8,403]

 KHL, Final Series, Game #2

 

35 mins of very tactical and close game, with the teams showing more fear to get a goal against than trying to score one by themselves...

then, suddenly, Maxim Shalunov found an opening in the Avangard's defence and scored the go-ahead-goal on power play for CSKA...

and since then, it was a one-side match, with CSKA widening their lead at the beginning of the 3rd period on quick a counter and then easily controlling the rest of the game until the final whistle...

 

so, the series is now tied at 1-1...

 

game #3 is scheduled for next Thursday, April 22nd, at 7.30 p.m. local time (6.30 p.m. CET) in Balashikha (Avangard's home ice)...

 

game #2 recap

 

CSKA Moscow - Avangard Omsk 3-0 (series tied 1-1)

 

stats: https://en.khl.ru/game/1046/877122/protocol/

 

highlights

 

[phelps 8,403]

and finally we have the first champions of a top tier league in Europe...

 

 EC-KAC becomes Champion of BET-AT-HOME ICE HOCKEY LEAGUE 2020/21 

 

The "Rotjacken" triumphed in game #5 of the Finals by a score of 5:3 and won the best-of-7 series against Bolzano/Bozen 4 games to 1.

 

Klagengenfurt lifted the Karl Nedwed Trophy for the second time in a row and claimed the 6th title since the league was founded.

 

HCB Südtirol Alperia headed into game five of the "best-of-7" final series against EC-KAC trailing 1:3 and were able to score with their first chance: Angelo Miceli won the one-on-one battle behind the goal, got the puck into the high slot to Luca Frigo (6.) for the lead.

 

Until the middle of the first period, Bolzano was closer to another goal than the KAC was to an equalizer.

 

But the guests from Klagenfurt then found their way into the game better and better and continuously established themselves in the offensive zone.

 

In the 18th minute Martin Schumnig got the puck towards the goal, it came to Nick Petersen and the playoff MVP slid in for the equalizer.

 

At the beginning of the second period Mike Halmo took the first penalty of the game for interference - and the KAC promptly turned the game in the first power play: Petersen with the one-timer, Rok Ticar pushed the rebound from Leland Irving to Matt Fraser (22./PP1) and he put the guests in the lead for the first time.

 

And with the second powerplay goal, the "Rotjacken" immediately followed up when Ticar (27./PP1) lifted a rebound over Irving.

 

But the "Foxes" did not give up and also rewarded themselves on the power play: Dustin Gazley (34./PP1) put the puck perfectly past Dahm into the net.

 

Bolzano got a boost and pushed for the equalizer, but Gazley missed a top chance.

 

In the final period, the visitors from Klagenfurt found themselves in a double powerplay occasion early on - after penalties against Daniel Catenacci and Nick Plastino - and doubled up.

 

Matt Fraser (42./PP2) was again on the spot in the slot and scored.

 

Once again the "Foxes" fought back and halved through Brett Findlay (49./PP1) also on the power play.

 

From then on, Bolzano didn't let up, looked for chances, but couldn't score again against the cleverly defending Klagenfurt team - and then had to accept a technical goal by Manuel Geier, who had the empty net goal in sight and was stopped by Daniel Cantenacci.

 

Game #5 stats: https://www.ice.hockey/en/stats-facts/gamestats?gameId=e0e74931-23b3-4a9c-9476-f180981b3ed5&divisionId=8259

 

Game #5 Highlights: https://www.puls24.at/video/highlights-5-finalspiel-ec-kac-hcb-suedtirol-alperia/short

 

 

Credits: www.ice.hockey and www.puls24.at

[phelps 8,403]

 Extraliga, Finals, Game #3

 

Bílí Tygři Liberec shortened the distance in the Czech Extraliga Finals by taking the first home game of the series, 3-0 the final score yesterday against HC Oceláři Třinec...

Game #4 is scheduled for Today afternoon at 5 p.m. local time (CET)...

 

Bílí Tygři Liberec - HC Oceláři Třinec 3-0 (series score: 1-2)

 

Game #3 stats: https://hokej.cz/zapas/2894221

 

Highlights

 

[phelps 8,403]

 KHL, Finals, Game #3

 

It was once again a very tactical, close match with a couple of flashes in the first period, when Avangard took the lead, but they couldn't keep it even until the end of the first stint, as CSKA scored the equalizer in the 19th minute...

then, nothing really relevant happened until Maxim Shalunov (once again!) found the go-ahead goal for CSKA midway through the final period...

Avangard's reaction however wasn't good enough to comeback and therefore CSKA could celebrate the win that puts them in the lead of the final series and gives them the home field advantage back...

 

Game #4 is scheduled for next Saturday, April 24th, at 5 p.m. Moscow time (4 p.m. CET) still in Balashikha (Avangard's home ice)...

 

Avangard Omsk - CSKA Moscow 1-2 (series score: 1-2)

 

Game #3 stats: https://en.khl.ru/game/1046/877123/protocol/

 

Highlights:

 

[phelps 8,403]

 Extraliga, Finals, Game #4

 

A lone goal by Matej Stransky about 9 mins into the OT decided the 4th episode of the Czech Final Series...

Once again, actually, more than ever, it was a close, tactical battle, but to be honest, also a rather boring match, where really few exciting plays happened...

Now HC Oceláři Třinec are leading the series 3-1 and next Monday they have the chance to close things down in a home clash...

 

Game #4 in fact is scheduled for next Monday, April 26th, at 5 p.m. local time (CET) in Třinec...

 

Bílí Tygři Liberec - HC Oceláři Třinec 0-1 after OT (series score: 1-3)

 

Game #4 stats: https://hokej.cz/zapas/2894222

 

Highlights

 

[phelps 8,403]

 KHL, Finals, Game #4

 

Very exciting game #4 of the Gagarin Cup Series...

CSKA Moscow started strong on the wings of the last 2 games' wins and earned a 2-goal lead after just 12 mins of play...

But Avangard this time didn't surrender and fought back 1, 2, 3 times until they got a 3-2 lead with only 5 mins left in regulation...

and then came the CSKA fireworks...finally, after 5 mins of sustained pressure, in pure desperation mode, the men from the Capital scored the tying goal thanks to Matt Robinson in power play with only 1 second left on the clock! 

But when everybody started to think that momentum was going all towards CSKA, after only 5 mins into the OT, Pavel Dedunov scored an amazing and unbelievable short-handed goal to give Avangard the win in this amazing match, tying the series at 2 apiece...

 

Game #5 is scheduled for next Monday, April 26th, at 7.30 p.m. Moscow time (6.30 p.m. CET) in Moscow...

 

Avangard Omsk - CSKA Moscow 4-3 after OT (series score: 2-2)

 

Game #4 stats: https://en.khl.ru/game/1046/877124/protocol/

 

Highlights:

 

[phelps 8,403]

 KHL, Finals, Game #5

 

game 5 was nothing to be compared to game 4, but still an interesting match with a quite surprising outcome...

 

2 amazing counters in the second period (Damir Sharipzyanov and Reid Boucher, this one, once again, shorthanded) proved to be enough for the hosts to win the match and take the lead in the final series, with a chance tomorrow in game 6 to win the Gagarin Cup...

 

Game #6 is scheduled for Tomorrow, April 28th, at 7.00 p.m. Moscow time (6.00 p.m. CET) in Balashikha (Avangard's home ice)...

 

CSKA Moscow - Avangard Omsk 0-2 (series score: 2-3)

 

Game #4 stats: https://en.khl.ru/game/1046/877139/protocol/

 

Highlights:

 

[phelps 8,403]

 Extraliga, Finals, Game #5

 

HC Oceláři Třinec are the Extraliga champions 2020/2021! 

 

Another undisputable home win by the Steelers completed the job and allowed them to start the party for their 3rd title, 2nd in a row...

 

Liberec did never show to have any chance through the entire series, Třinec's superiority was clear from the start to the end of the series in any aspect of the game...

 

HC Oceláři Třinec - Bílí Tygři Liberec 3-0 (series score: 4-1)

 

Game #5 stats: https://hokej.cz/zapas/2894223

 

Highlights

 

[hckošice 15,825]

11 minutes ago, phelps said:

 Extraliga, Finals, Game #5

 

HC Oceláři Třinec are the Extraliga champions 2020/2021! 

 

Another undisputable home win by the Steelers completed the job and allowed them to start the party for their 3rd title, 2nd in a row...

 

Liberec did never show to have any chance through the entire series, Třinec's superiority was clear from the start to the end of the series in any aspect of the game...

 

HC Oceláři Třinec - Bílí Tygři Liberec 3-0 (series score: 4-1)

 

Game #5 stats: https://hokej.cz/zapas/2894223

 

Highlights

 

Congrats to Třinec.

aloso congrats to the 5 slovaks in the roster, 2nd title for Dravecký, Gernát and Tomáš Marcinko, 1st title for Hrehorčák and Roman.

 

[phelps 8,403]

 KHL, Finals, Game #6

 

Avangard wins Gagarin Cup 2020/201 

 

Two years ago, as CSKA advanced on its first ever Gagarin Cup win, Sergei Tolchinsky found himself out of favour with the Army Men.

 

As the playoffs started, the former Carolina Hurricanes forward was serving with CSKA’s farm club in the VHL.

 

Today, the 26-year-old delivered his revenge with a vital goal as his new club, Avangard, defeated the team where he learned the game and lifted the Gagarin Cup for the first time.

 

Wednesday’s hard-fought victory saw Bob Hartley and his team avenge the loss they endured two years ago against CSKA.

 

It’s been a longer wait than usual: although these are back-to-back finals, the 2020 campaign was lost to the pandemic, meaning Omsk had two years to wait before getting back to the final and, at last, winning the title.

 

It’s longer still since 2012, when the Hawks led 3-1 against Dynamo Moscow in that year’s final, only for Oleg Znarok’s team to fight back and deliver a first major trophy for their coach.

 

And it’s close to two decades since Avangard was last crowned champion of Russia after winning the Superleague in 2004.

 

Tolchinsky’s goal late in the first period separated the teams.

It also cemented his position as Avangard’s leading scorer in the playoffs and put him dead level with CSKA’s Konstantin Okulov in the overall post season scoring race.

The two players had identical records — 6 goals, 14 assists, 20 points — although Okulov played two games fewer.

 

CSKA welcomed back the top goalscorer in the playoffs, Maxim Shalunov.

He missed game five through suspension but was available again tonight to replace Nikita Soshnikov.

Shalunov was banned after a foul on Andrei Stas, who also returned to action after missing game.

 

Youngster Yegor Chinakhov missed out for the first time in the final.

 

One of the striking things about this year’s final has been the change in CSKA’s style.

 

In the regular season, typically, the Army Men got on top of the opposition not by firing in a relentless barrage of shots but by calmly and carefully probing until they fashioned a clear cut shooting opportunity.

 

However, in the face of Avangard’s hugely disciplined defense — something that has gotten stronger throughout the series — things have had to change.

Suddenly, Igor Nikitin’s team is showing greater readiness to shoot pucks at the net as often as possible, while the Hawks are seeing a sharp uptick in the number of blocked shots.

 

That was certainly the tale of the first period.

In terms of saves, the teams were almost equal — 11 stops for Simon Hrubec, nine for Lars Johansson. In terms of attempts, CSKA had 25 against 15 for Avangard.

The home team blocked 10 shots in that opening frame as the visitor looked to save the series with the help of a fusillade on the home net.

However, the tactic did not pay off.

 

Neither team managed to create a really big chance in the opening frame and then, just before the intermission, Avangard found a way to get in front. 

Oliwer Kaski darted around the back of Johansson’s net and fed the puck to Sergei Tolchinsky just beyond the right-hand circle.

The former CSKA man fired in a shot which deflected off Sergei Andronov’s stick, deceiving Johansson and giving Avangard the lead.

 

CSKA almost tied it up right away in the second. 

Mat Robinson saw a chance to abandon his defensive duties and surged down the right-hand channel, only to see his shot ding the iron and bounce to safety.

 

It was as close as anyone came to scoring in the middle frame as tensions rose and chances were harder and harder to come by. 

 

Ilya Kovalchuk almost fashioned a breakthrough when he stole the puck from Mario Kempe and created a chance on the slot, but CSKA survived.

 

With the home crowd roaring its approval of every successful Avangard play — be it a pass, a hit, a clearance or a shot — the home team created more in the third.

 

After CSKA again made a lively start, the Hawks responded with some clear-cut chances of their own. 

 

Alexander Khokhlachyov almost converted a three-man rush before Maxim Goncharov hit the frame of the net as the defenseman rushed forward in a manner reminiscent of Robinson’s earlier attempt.

 

There was another anxious moment when Alexei Bereglazov’s deflected point shot dribbled wide of the net, just slipping away from the outstretched stick of a home forward ready to steer it into an unguarded net.

 

CSKA also had its chances, with Hrubec relieved to see a shot flash narrowly wide only to watch on as two quick penalties reduced his team to three skaters. 

Denis Zernov and Ville Pokka offended the officials just 12 seconds apart; with 4:22 on the clock, Avangard had a huge penalty to kill and the Army Men had one last, golden chance to save the game and the season.

 

However, this was Damir Sharipzyanov’s moment.

In recent games the D-man grabbed the headlines for his scoring prowess; here he showed his mettle at the other end of the ice.

Three blocked shots in quick succession meant more than a minute of that two-man advantage elapsed without Hrubec having to make a save.

 

Nikitin called a time-out, looking to calm his troops and plot the play that would finally unlock this defense.

It almost worked, but Hrubec pulled off one last big save to keep his goal intact.

 

Once Avangard returned to full strength, the clock was firmly in its favor.

 

The Hawks successfully shut down the remaining couple of minutes before the final hooter sparked wild celebrations in the arena in Balashikha and back home in Siberia where many fans were waiting up as the clock ticked past midnight, anxiously rooting for their team.

 

Credits: http://en.khl.ru

 

 

Avangard Omsk - CSKA Moscow 1-0 (series score: 4-2)

 

Game #6 stats: https://en.khl.ru/game/1046/877124/protocol/

 

Highlights: