Alexanders Ņiživijs (17) leads by example during another Dinamo Riga great escape. Photo used courtesy of Dinamo Riga.
MOSCOW — Dinamo Riga have done it again, downing hosts Atlant 6-5 in over-time.
Before this evening’s game, Dinamo Riga were the only team in the KHL to twice be down by as much as three goals, only to come back and claim victory. After tonight’s game, they are the only team to do it three times. What is all the more phenomenal about this stat is the fact that it has happened in three of their last four games.
Dinamo Riga again made the going tough for themselves, being made to be pay for another slow start. Both teams had their chances in the first ten minutes but it was Atlant who struck first in the eleventh minute. They did not waste any time with their second following soon after with the body language of the Dinamo Riga players saying it all. When their third came in the 17th few believed Dinamo Riga could rally back once again.
Even the most optimistic of fans must have thought the night was over when Edgars Masaļskis let through a fourth in the fifth minute of the second period as thoughts of last week’s 8-1 thumping at the hands of CKA came to mind.
In the 12th minute Mārtiņš Karsums had his second goal in Dinamo Riga colors, thanks in part to Krišjānis Redlihs and Jānis Sprukts. But still Dinamo Riga could not fire into action with defeat looking imminent as the second period came to a close.
The defining moment of the game was without doubt the first three minutes of the final period with few being able to predict what was about to unfold. In the second minute Marcel Hossa was recording his 30th goal of the season, hooking onto a simple cross from Sandis Ozoliņš and when Tyler Arnason added his team’s third less than a minute later the most unlikely of comebacks had begun.
Atlant would have been wondering what was in the water in the Dinamo Riga changing shed during the break in periods, even more so when they drew even through Miķelis Rēdlihs in the ninth.
Now the momentum was well and truly with Dinamo Riga. It was no longer a question of will they score another goal, but rather when will they score another goal? The answer to that question was in the 13th minute when Roberts Bukarts added his team’s fifth goal.
Everything was going Dinamo Riga’s way even more so when they received a power-play in their favor shortly after Bukart’s goal. Few were more shocked than the Dinamo Riga team when Atlant claimed a shorthanded goal to once again tie the game up.
With scores once again tied both team’s knew that with time counting down the next goal may well end the game. With this in mind both adopted a defensive game with the match headed to overtime.
As if there had not already been enough moments for the evening’s highlight’s real Lauris Dārziņš was about to add one of his own, and arguably the best of the night. With 4 minutes 27 gone in overtime gone and with seemingly nothing on, Dārziņš skipped through two Atlant defenders then faked the goalie left, before skating unbalanced on one skate past him to put the puck in back right corner of the goal.
The joy in the Dinamo Riga camp was clear as the team broke into frenzied celebration. With Torpedo having reclaimed their spot in the Western top eight yesterday, Dinamo Riga have once again claimed it back today with the comfort in knowing they have a game in hand.
Tomorrow evening will see the KHL All Star game played out with Team Yashin local stars taking on Team Jagr international stars. Playing for Team Jagr are Dinamo Riga members Hossa and Ozolins. The game also means a brief break for the remainder of the Dinamo Riga squad before they take the ice against on Monday against Dinamo Minsk.
