CATCH-UP REPORTS: GAMES 34-36

Firstly, please accept my apologies for the lateness and shortness of these reports. It was a busy weekend of packing and travelling from a distant isle, so I didn't get the chance to fully address each of these games. Normal service resumes this Wednesday!

34 - GRAZ 2 - 3 OLIMPIJA

KOLIN STARS AS OLIMPIJA HOLD OFF A GRADECIAN BARRAGE

BONINO AND KAPEL COMBINE FOR THE DEATHBLOW WITH 37s TO GO

Highlights

- Luka Kolin! As we say in England, take a bow, son! How blessed are we to have this kind of quality available as our backup?! His athleticism makes his trademark double saves look breathtakingly easy. They are not! A very casual 94.6 save %.

- Beating Trevor Gooch doesn't get old, sorry (not sorry)

- 1st goal - Gregorc scores on a screened point shot. Assisted by Ege and Kapel.

- 2nd goal - Efficient scoring is the name of the game here, as Sodja scores on our second shot of the third period. Pance assists and Sodja keeps his stick on the ice in the low slot for the goal.

- 3rd goal and game winner, with 37s left: Bonino's mid-air interception and crisp feed to Kapel, who was aware enough to not just go for a line change.

- Apparently we still have the no.1 penalty kill in the league? Pretty impressive and a testament to our talent in that form of special teams (even if going 50% tonight didn't help their efforts to stay no.1).

Lowlights

- Crnović's delay of game penalty that led to a Graz PPG. He has had a penalty in 3 out of the last 4 games. Atwal has tidied his game up, playing forcefully but within the rules. Crnović needs to be careful, as his flowing carry-in zone entries have dried up. With Ćosić close to returning and Bohinc/Hebar playing well and in need of development, he should be in danger of being the odd man out.

- We got a PP almost straightaway, which proved not to be as beneficial as you'd hope. We looked rusty and, in Karhula-era-style, Graz get the first (and only) shot on goal of our powerplay ;(

Thoughts

Look at this shot differential:

Period 1 speaks for itself... But what incredible resilience and determination on show to emerge victorious! 

Winning even when you don't play that well is a sign of a very good team. This was simply not something we were capable of in the latter stages of Coach Karhula's stewardship of the team. Graz had more possession and pressure; I'll admit, it felt like they were destined to score a winner in the latter parts of the 3rd period. Instead, we held firm and - with two moments of brilliance from Bonino then Kapel - stole the victory ourselves. Stealing may not be the right verb, as we were leading in the game for extended periods. But to come away with a win against an extremely expensive Graz lineup in their own barn is magnificent.

35 - FEHERVAR 2 - 1 OLIMPIJA

VALIANT EFFORT AWAY IN THE HUNGARIAN HINTERLANDS

KERBASHIAN TAKES THE LEAD BUT THE DEVILS TAKE THEIR DUE

Highlights

- Slick PPG by Sabolič and Kerbashian. Sabolič slaps it along the ice to Kale, who angles it in. Bonino was also there at the net-front. It's pleasing to see a well-worked PP after so long struggling in this area of the game under the Karhula reign.

- Fighting till the very end - even in the last few seconds, we were right there in the hack-and-whack net-front mixer. 

Lowlights

- Missed chances: Červeny essentially missing an empty net on a tight angle, Mašič hitting the post, Pance's breakaway being comfortably double-saved, Kerbashian + Sabla's 2 on 1 getting saved...

- 1st goal conceded - Červeny's back-pass is slightly wide of Mašič, who falls over trying to reach it. Fehervar break the other way and score over Horak's glove.

- 2nd goal conceded - Horak let through a not especially strong point shot PPG.

Thoughts

I think this was a good performance against a very tough team on a long road trip. Of course, I would have liked our winstreak to extend for eternity, but I don't feel aggrieved at all and am proud of our efforts.

36 - VILLACH 4 - 5 OLIMPIJA (PENS)

INCREDIBLE COMEBACK WIN FROM 4-0 DOWN

HORAK THE HERO IN PENALTY SHOOTOUT BUT SCARY SITUATION POST-GAME WORRIES FANS

Highlights

- Er, maybe the comeback from 4-0 down to 4-4, taking us to overtime?!

- Something about last-minute equalisers away to Villach... Life doesn't get much better!

Lowlights

- Seeing Horak collapsing and lying motionless on the floor in the middle of his jubilant teammates after saving the final VSV penalty to win the game. They thought he was joking initially, but quickly called over the team doctors and emergency medics when it was clear he wasn't.

- Going down 4-0. Now, obviously we came back from it to win, but clearly it's not sustainable play. 

Goals against

G1 61 screened by a defender 

G2 61 misses a poke and they score back post PPG

G3 Another missed poke, but it's crisp passing from VSV that makes our defenders look lost and the puck end up in the back of the net, past Horak's glove.

G4 Very passive for my tastes, although they were trying to hold their shape on the PK. 61 gets beaten near post PPG.

Goals for

G1 Lavoie shapes up to look like he'll pass, but instead darts the puck inside the right post. This is the type of play we signed him for!

G2 Beautiful PP passing, ticking like a metronome! Bonino provides the killer pass, a backhander that draws two defenders, leaving Kerbashian with a free left side of the net to tuck it home.

G3 Bonino spies a wide-open 5-hole as he roams from the right to the left circle, choosing the perfect moment to slide a shot away and through. This man can play hockey!

G4 Olimpija hit the post twice, so this was coming... Sabla winds up not far past the right side of the VSV blue line and his signature slapshot powers its way through for the late, late equaliser!!! And the crowd goes wild, etc!!! Bonino is seen mouthing "what a shot!". Now, I've made fun of them for often having few other ideas than giving it to Sable on the right side, so perhaps I deserve some humble pie. I'll happily take it in exchange for this equaliser and later win!

Penalties

VSV - 61 saves, blocker.

Bonino - beats blocker! Subtle movement yet effectively throws off the goalie.

VSV - 61 saves, glove.

Sabolič - glove save. I thought he would be the one to put it away!

VSV - 61 saves, glove! We complete the comeback victory!

Thoughts

The team gave an update saying that Horak has been closely examined and appears to be fine after losing consciousness during the victory celebrations on the ice. That's the main takeaway.

As I put on my Instagram stories, though, another takeaway is what I discussed with my taxi driver on the way back from the airport. We've won 6/7 under Andrej Tavželj as interim coach, and have exhibited some seriously impressive displays of resilience and courage under pressure. The team initially said it was speaking to some big names and that a new coach would be in place by the end of 2024. Why would you change something if it's working so well? We only have January and February left, anyway - I say we hold off on the big coaching hire until the summer and let Mr Tavželj (and Žiga Pavlin as assistant) continue to hold the reins till then.