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Czechs last in the LG Hockey Games
Third straight lost for the Czechs when Russia wins 6-3
The first period was spectator friendly with a lot of chances and four goals. Maksim Rybin opened the scoring after 2:29 on a power play. He had a lot of luck since his stick broke and the shot went it by a Czech skate. A few minutes later Rybin has a great chance to score again but Kopriva saves and just seconds later Rybin is injured when he is hit in the face by a Leos Cermak's stick. Cermak was sent to the penalty box with a double minor. On the following power play Petr Schastlivy made it 2-1 after some lucky bounces in front of the net. Rybin was able to return to the game later on.
After 10:21 a new power play goal was scored this time for the Czechs when Ondrej Nemec's shot from the blue line
went in. Only 42 seconds later the game was tied again when Jan Marek finally found the net after several Czech chances in front of Barulin.
Just before the four minute mark of the second period Saprykin gave the Russians the lead again with a shot from a bad angle that Miroslav Kupriva should have saved.
At 12:29 the Czechs tied the game, Radim Vrbata came from behind the goal and could unattacked skate in front, however Barulin should have saved the shot at the near post. A minute later the Czechs almost took the lead for the first time but the shot hit the post. The Czechs had more chances to take the lead on a good power play but they couldn't capitalize on the created chances.
Instead Russia scored a very psychologically important goal when Aleksandr Perezhogin skated clear and scored with a nice shot with only nine seconds left of the period.
Five minutes into the third period the fifth power play goal of the game was scored when the puck scrambled in front of goal and Saprykin's skate put the puck in the Czech goal for 5-3. The goal was video reviewed but as there was no intentional kick the goal was allowed. Russia had some good chances to kill the game with another power play but the post saved the Czechs when Denis Kulyash shot a hard shot form the blue line.
The Czechs had some good chances to come back again but failed to hit the goal with their shots and instead Aleksei Mikhnov made it 6-3 for Russia on a counter attack. The Czechs got the chance to make the numbers a bit better at the end but played an awful power play when they got a five on three power play for two minutes.
The Czechs leave the LG Hockey Games with zero points and are now last in the Euro Hockey Tour standings. Russia will finish in second or third place and are still big leaders of the Euro Hockey Tour.
Czech Republic - Russia 3-6 (2-2,1-2,0-2)
0-1 (2:29) Maksim Rybin (Goncharov) PP
0-2 (6:41) Petr Schastlivy (Suglobov, Mikhnov) PP
1-2 (10:21) Ondrej Nemec (Rachunek, Vrbata) PP
2-2 (11:03) Jan Marek
2-3 (23:51) Oleg Saprykin (Vishnevsky)
3-3 (32:39) Radim Vrbata (Hlinka, Bednar) PP
3-4 (39:51) Aleksandr Perezhogin (Rybin, Taratukhin)
3-5 (44:55) Oleg Saprykin (Radulov,Badyukov) PP
3-6 (XX:XX) Aleksei Mikhnov (Petr Schastlivy)
Shots: 38-23 (12-9,17-7,9-7)
Story added on 8th February 2009 at 13:18 GMT
Story submitted by: Fredrik Pålsson.
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