OLIMPIJA 2 - 1 VIENNA (OT)
Dragons deservedly defeat the Capitals in Štefan Seme's memory
Lineup changes
Červeny vacates the 2C spot to Tomaževič, as I had suggested after last game. He moves up to replace Lavoie on the top line right wing. Mahkovec comes back to the 2nd line left wing.
Predan is another returning player to visit Hala Tivoli. He tried a few shots early on but they were well-turned away by Horak.
Stars of the game
* Lukaš Horák - This league doesn't track GSAx (Goals Saved Above Expected), but Horak easily clears 2.5-3 GSAx in this (every?) game. To quote the crowd after his glorious post-game victory belly flops, "MVP! MVP! MVP!".
** Rudolf Červeny (1G 1A) and Blaž Tomaževič (1G) - Swapped positions and both shot up in effectiveness, 65 with the goal and big hit to assist on 98's game-winning goal in OT.
*** 4th line physicality - Žiga Pance (satisfying smackdown on a VIC player), Miha Beričič (multiple impactful hits) and Jaka Sodja (multiple impactful blocks).
Notable performances: Shoutout to the Green Dragons, who sent in a 10-man special forces unit of singing supporters. It was pretty impressive to see them coordinate better than the larger contingent of usual hockey singers!
Game flow
P1
Pre-game, there is a minute's silence for club legend Štefan Seme. A family member of his drops the puck. A really nice tribute.
1927 - Horak covers a 2 on 1 well.
The few Vienna fans that made the trip have 'We Still Believe' and 'Keep On Fighting' signs up. Is it really that bad over there?!
15 - O-zone possession, 1528 Mašič and Bičevskis nearly link up at the net front with Bine's pass rifling through Maris and the goalie.
13 - Sodja does some great work on the forecheck, putting in every ounce of effort to retrieve the puck.
1115 - Pavlin is too slow on an attempted pinch and gets beaten, opening up a rush chance the other way. Nothing comes of it.
1016 - 3 on 1 VIC rush.
844 - Powerful shot by Pavlin that just about gets saved by an outstretched pad.
558 VIC hit the post (4th line and 2nd pairing on the ice).
224 VIC have a big chance, heavy net front presence and Horak sent sprawling.
132 Another Pavlin shot on goal.
105 Weird icing callback that gets the players and coaches of OLL riled up.
1 Simšič misses wide on a nice connected move.
9s left - PEN ON OLL Ćosić is a bit silly and crosschecks a VIC player right in front of two referees. Not clever!
0-0
(I must be late to the party here but the interval song 'Pedro' is an absolute banger)
(I'm not Gen Z but even I felt the MC shouting 'let's go Paki!' before the drop of a song was cringe).
P2
PK1 - Pance, Bičevskis, Gregorc and Ege - interesting that they are still going with the second pair, who got destroyed in the last game by Linz. We have a shorthanded chance that goes wide and they have one shot on goal.
1750 Ćosić comes out of the penalty box, there's an awkward line change - we lose the puck and donate a 1 on 1 opportunity - Horak comes up huge with a pad save and second effort.
1447 Great backcheck by Beričič behind the net - effort levels very high as usual on the 4th line.
1355 - Pavlin and Tomaževič try to do a classic deflection link up, but not to be this time.
1327 Well kept in the O-zone by Tomaževič, another effort play.
1300 Atwal to Mehle, but it hits the post / side netting.
1200 PEN ON VIC - Červeny gets tripped in a prime and central position. They announce a Smash Attack on the ensuing powerplay?! That seems confident, or maybe they're just conscious that it's never happened so far and Smash Burger might be garnering more resentment than positive branding? Maybe they've just seen our PP%, but again, stay tuned...
We never really set up and so only get a Bičevskis shot on goal.
935 - Horak with three(!) consecutive big blocker saves.
856 Net is wide open on a second chance off the rush - Horak saves the initial attempt but his momentum takes him away; karmic balance ensues as the same happens for VIC's Bohm as he can't connect on the fortunate bounce.
812 PEN OLL Zajc slashes his old centre Predan. Clearly no love lost there!
618 Penalty killers turn it over and Horak bails them out.
We're lucky to be 0-0 here! Should be 1 or 2 down.
Atwal knocks down two VIC players à la Dustin Byfuglien (do yourself a favour and watch his highlights on YouTube if you haven't had the pleasure already).
503 Horak double save. Červeny big hit.
426 Nice moment as Gregorc takes the hit to protect Horak from getting clattered by a speeding VIC forward. Stick tap from Horak.
346 Nice to see Kapel involved, with a stop and shot saved.
303 3rd line with a good move but Ćosić gets given a pass with too much mustard on it. He does well to bundle it under the VIC goalie, but it doesn't go through him.
2 Schweine Austrija rings out for the first time this season, beautiful stuff.
218 VIC look like they have too many men on the ice, but it's not called as a player dives for the bench.
130 - Mašič again cannot control the puck in a good position, perhaps he is still not fully healthy after his illness.
0-0
P3
1836 Gregorc takes too long with the puck when joining the rush - hit it!
1641 PEN OLL - Pance "for nothing", as the announcer put it.
Good wraparound cover by Horak. A ratty VIC player knocks down Pance and he gets up and demolishes him. Why is it only a penalty on us and not them? Come on now, they started it - we just finished it Unfair, but I think this is one that the penalty killers will gladly take for Panćo.
1621 Sodja can't get it to Beričič on the shorthanded breakaway,probably should have shot it.
Sodja putting his body on the line blocking.
1422 Pance to Atwal in front, Atwal hacks away at their goalie and a flurry of fists results in Atwal and a VIC player getting 5 minutes each, but the game stays 5 on 5. They made it fairer this time!
Are we in danger of going to OT here? It's a quite pleasantly sludgy 0-0. Who needs goals, anyway?
1137 PEN VIC - delay of game as a VIC player overhead smashes the puck into the bench with his hand.
PP1 is Sabolič, Červeny, Bičevskis, Tomaževič and Mašič. Three centres, a wing and a defenseman!
1008 GOAL OLIMPIJA - Huge PP pressure, Sabolič does incredibly well to keep it in the zone and Červeny beats the goalie over his glove. Assists by Mašič and Sabla.
We look in control.
830 Lovely hit by Beričič, left his mark on that VIC player for sure!
633 Mahkovec looks a lot stronger along the boards this year, good work by him to build up his strength as it is certainly rounding out his game.
502 Another Sodja block.
323 Mahkovec and Kapel miss on a breakaway chance where the VIC goalie gets flattened...
315 GOAL VIENNA - VIC go down the other end and score it roofed glove side. Mašič and Ege are on the ice and Ege can't block a pass that goes through both defenders to a wide open player at the back post. Unfortunate, but that can happen when you overcommit to an attack that doesn't come off. I initially thought this was Ege's fault, but on watching the film it's actually Tomaževič who gets caught puck-watching and doesn't skate his hardest to cover the back post rusher. Spoiler alert, he would more than make up for it later on...
L2 -1
Pair 2 -1 (Gregorc off, Mašič on - another Ege concession)
1-1
207 VIC poking around net front on Horak is worrying!
40s Ege does well to solo net drive to get a faceoff.
1-1
OT
Starts with Červeny, Simšič and Mašič.
3:50 GOAL OLIMPIJA - A timely and jarring hit by Červeny on a VIC player ends up blocking off two of their players, which springs Tomaževič who darts his way to the net and deftly dinks it up and over the VIC GK with a backhand move. Gregorc and Červeny get assists.
MVP is Červeny.
Final thoughts
The club account said that this was one of the hardest games of the season, but I disagree. I thought this was one of the smoothest! Apart from the usual high danger chances left for Horak to smother, we were largely in control. The powerplay goal was a long time coming and well-celebrated as a result. It was a bit of a blow to concede with only a few minutes left on a blitzkrieg counter, but the team did well to steady themselves and dominate OT. Commendations to the coaching staff for seeing what I had pointed out, that Červeny wasn't working as well as Tomaževič at 2C. Making that change won us this game.
It's a half-term holiday for me next week, so I am very much looking forward to the 'week of hockey'. 4 games, all very winnable. Let's climb that table whilst we wait for Kerbashian to come back! Talking of Kale, I ran into him and his partner on the way back from work this week. Apart from him and his partner being such lovely people once again, he told me he's back skating next week. Let's pray the next stage of rehab goes well and we see him centring that top line once more in the near future!
Finally, it deserves to be said, Lukaš Horák, everybody. I feel like every fan owes him a drink or two for the way he plays for this team.
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