GAME 3 - OLL VS ASIAGO
2-1
OLIMPIJA REMAIN UNBEATEN, BUT IT COMES AT A COST
Olimpija ground out a win tonight against an improved Asiago team. The usual excellent play from Horak kept them in it while Asiago repeatedly cut through our defensive zone, before Pance single-handedly got us back level at 1-1 and Ege forced in the winner. Kerbashian going down with a nasty-looking knee injury was shellshocking. If he is out long term, it changes the outlook of our season pretty significantly. Prayers up that it's only along the lines of an MCL sprain rather than any tears. There was another injury even earlier than that, when on the first action of the game the puck flew way back into the West stand and hit a young boy in the face. Wishing him a speedy recovery, too! Make sure you're watching the puck, people!
Stars of the game
* Žiga Pance (1G) - his brilliant interception and 5-hole goal sparked some life back into the team and led to the eventual victory, where he was the one corralling the puck at the very end with 6 on 5 pressure from the visitors.
** Lukaš Horak - I doubt Horak will go much lower than 2nd star or above this season. His outstanding efforts kept Olimpija in the game while nothing was going on at the other end. Without him, we lose this pretty convincingly.
*** Wyatt Ege (1G) - really nice to see Ege make a mark on the game tonight. He was frequently joining the rush and scored his goal at the net-front, all the while making key interceptions in the defensive zone.
Honorable mention: Sabolič looked dangerous on his debut, with an assist to show for it.
Lineup
Zajc and Mašič were both out - I was at training on Thursday and Zajc seemed to be limited, but not Mašič. Do they even release injury information in this league?
Sabolič started as the first line left wing, moving Simšič down to the 3rd. Ćosić took over the first pairing role with Atwal. Crnović rejoined his old partner Pavlin on the 3rd pairing, with Rožle Bohinc the 7th D-man. Apart from letting Asiago walk right in on their goal, he looked good in the small doses we saw of him.
Kumanović was the 13th forward, and he joined Mehle and Bičevskis on the 3rd line after Simšič moved up to take over Kerbashian's 1st line centre role. He was active and that line seemed energetic, even if they didn't get too much going.
Game flow breakdown
P1
PEN on Asiago for (didn't hear)
Asiago SCORE 0-1
Kerbashian injured
PEN on Sabolič for goalie interference
PEN on Asiago for hooking Pavlin, 4 on 4 for 1:39
P2
Pance SCORES 1-1
Smash Attack - no burgers this week.
PEN on Asiago for slashing
P3
Asiago hit the post
Ege SCORES 2-1
PEN on Asiago, Sodja tripped
PEN on Asiago, Sodja tripped again
Asiago go empty net for 6 on 5
END
Big Moments / Game Notes
P1
After a pretty lacklustre clapping of players coming out of the tunnel, the first action of the game ends up high in the West stands and hits a young boy, who gets medical attention. Best wishes to him!
18 - penalty on Asiago. PP1 sees Sabolič come in for Simšič.
PP1 - Atwal, Sabolič, Tomaževič, Kerbashian, Lavoie
PP2 - Crnović, Mahkovec, Ege, Kapel, Bičevskis.
PP3 - Pavlin, Pance, Sodja, Beričič, Ege
PP2 gets a shot on goal, PP3 has a good chance across the net. PENALTY KILLED OFF.
15 Pavlin gets a bloody nose off an Asiago player.
GOAL ASIAGO - Bohinc lets Asiago walk right in and stab it around Horak. 0-1
14 Immediate response with Sabolič, good chance blocked. Atwal does a nice spinarama move and his shot is blocked, too.
13 Horak glove save.
12 PENALTY ON ASIAGO - Sodja tripped. Kerbashian fans on one, Lavoie then breaks his stick. Sabolič nearly squeezes one through the 5-hole. Kerbashian misses, Lavoie can't control it. Kerbashian goes to twist and shoot powerfully, but goes down clutching his left knee and writhing in pain. Desperately hope he is ok, but it didn't look good.
Ćosić, Ege, Bičevskis, Kapel and Mahkovec are out. We are not clean enough on our one-timers to make an impact.
9 Pance has a shot on goal, Bohinc is out with Atwal on the first pair.
6 A well-worked three-way passing attack comes to nothing.
PENALTY ON SABOLIČ - GOALIE INTERFERENCE. Quite soft, the goalie still saved it and looked to be out of his blue area. Sabolič not happy.
PK1 is Bičevskis, Pance, Crnović and Pavlin. Last year's PP1 pair of defenders back together again!
Kumanović and Mehle on 3rd line with Bičevskis. Horak saves.
PENALTY ON ASIAGO - HOOK ON PAVLIN. 1:39 into their powerplay, they make it 4 on 4.
Tomaževič, Mahkovec, Gregorc and Ege out for the 4 on 4.
4 Good Horak save and better Ćosić hit.
Sabolič comes straight out of the box for a great chance driving to the net, well-saved by Asiago's goalie. Atwal and Sabolič shots on goal, Asiago keeper does well again.
2 Kumanović with a lovely backhand dish across to Mehle, who can't connect. Horak with a big sprawling save off a rush at the other end, followed by a glove save. Horak isn't happy with his defenders.
0 We're letting Asiago skate right through us in the defensive zone, while without Kerbashian we are being kept to the outside in their zone.
END P1
Interval - Olimpija, Bled and Slavija juniors take penalties against each other.
P2
19 Lavoie goes well wide with his shot, followed by Kapel saved. Horak saves at the other end
18 Ege with a massive interception on a 2 on 1.
17 Bičevskis with a big hit into the boards, but leaves him offsides. 2nd puck over the glass, this time lower down in the West.
16 Ege with a good cross-goal pass, but no connection.
15 Horak with a glove save and another pad save off the resulting faceoff. Bohinc with a nice hit.
Messy sequence of a giveaway, Atwal interception and Tomaževič squandering the chance at the other end.
Gregorc and Ege do well in the net-front battle.
13 Pance's net-front chance saved. Quite sloppy at the moment, until...
12 PANCE SCORES - he intercepts a defender's pass out from behind the net and Pance pounces with a 5-hole screamer to get the crowd and team going! 1-1
12 Horak blocker save.
11 Ege shot glove saved.
Tomaževič's juicy-looking assist gets blocked well.
9 Sabolič hits the right post.
8 Kapel shot on goal. We are trying to do too much in terms of passing around the offensive zone instead of getting the 'puck on net', as the Canadians always say.
7 Horak save.
SMASH ATTACK - 'gremo burger' - to no avail. Sabolič serves up one for Lavoie, but it sloshes wide. Asiago look more likely to score, but thankfully they do not - Horak glove save.
Kapel breaks away but it's offside.
5 Atwal fans on a slapshot.
4 Ege loses it behind the net, Beričič bails him out with an interception.
3 Pavlin SOG, Crnović's shot deflects wide.
2 PENALTY ON ASIAGO FOR SLASHING
PP1 = 12, 55, 19, 98, 20.
Asiago clear their zone 4 times and keep us out wide and ineffective. Synergy obviously affected by Kerbashian being out (we lack a lot of play-driving and puck-carrying as a result).
0 Crnović with some trademark swooping skating, opening up a chance around the offensive zone that doesn't get converted.
END P2
P3
19 Ćosićs shot blocked, sharp chance down other end.
18 Pavlin to Mehle net-front - goes over the bar.
16 Pance punishes Asiago player for hacking away at Horak.
Lavoie too ambitious with his cross-ice passing, two Asiago players are easily there to intercept.
15 Asiago hit the right post.
13 Pad save from Horak.
12 EGE SCORES - Sabolič and Tomaževič on the assists. Blaž shoots and Ege has two goes net-front to shovel it in. His machine gun celebration on the screen goes down very well in the crowd.
10 Sabolič has an impressive net drive saved. Horak saves off the rush.
8 PENALTY ON ASIAGO Sodja tripped again. Asiago have possession for 30s. Sabolič SOG pad saved. Tomaževič has a great chance but can't elevate the puck over the falling goalie.
6 We are doing too much again. As the old men sitting behind me say, SHOOT!
5 Sabolič to Simšič with a scintillating pass, shot is aved.
3 PENALTY ON ASIAGO is this Sodja tripped for the third time?! The man is out here winning powerplays like there is no tomorrow! Sadly, we are back to our old ways with a fat 0% conversion rate.
2 Sabolič sharpshot.
1 Ege fans on an empty net chance. Asiago's coach (probably rightly) is incensed at a no-call on a trip.
END P3
Final thoughts
5 powerplays, 0 PPGs. Ouch. Still, a win is a win, especially with a strengthened Asiago team and a lack of three star players for us (Zajc and Mašič pregame, Kerbashian mid-game). We will have to wait for the MRI results with bated breath, if the team will even announce anything. Safe to say Kerbashian won't be playing on Sunday, at the very least. Tomaževič could move up to the top line, but they may just keep Simšič there. Pustertal beat Innsbruck pretty convincingly, so it will be a tough revenge game for the playoffs last year, as well as for Atwal and Ege.
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