Dinamo Riga's Sandis Ozoliņš (8) strips the puck from Vityaz's Anton Nosov. Dinamo Riga's defense kept the opponent's score at goose egg. Photo by Nathan Greenhalgh.
RIGA — Dinamo Riga have come out on top again, seeing of Vityaz 3-1.
In theory this was game that Dinamo Riga should have won with ease, playing the bottom of the table team in front of a 8,970-strong home crowd. But if there is anything that we have learned this season from following Dinamo Riga is to take nothing for granted.
However, when the win did eventuate it stretched Dinamo Riga’s impressive record in 2010 to 10 wins from 13 games, making them the in-form team in the competition.
For the first time in a number of weeks, the first period failed to provide any goals with Edgars Masaļskis and Sergei Denisov looking staunch in their respective goals. It was also a relatively clean period with only one power-play in the period.
The second period was able to produce more action, but it did not translate into much of a change on the scoresheet. After any number of shots on goal at both ends, Dinamo Riga were final the first to break through, with Oļegs Sorokins scoring on a 4-on-3 power-play in the 8th minute. The score could have just as easily been 2-1, with each team also finding the back of the net on one other occasion, only for the referee to deny the goals both times.
Just to keep the distance between himself and the rest of the field, Marcel Hossa solidified his place at the top of the KHL goal-scoring list with his 32nd, just three minutes into the final period. With news coming through that Torpedo had claimed a 4-2 victory away to Dinamo Minsk, the second goal helped the fans breath a little easier.
Things would not improve for Vityaz when arguably their best player on the night, Joshua Gratton sent to the changing shed for showing dissension towards the referee. The moment of ludicrously would cost his team even further with Alexandrs Nizivijs taking advantage of the resulting power-play, scoring his team’s third just 14 seconds later.
Any thoughts Masaļskis was having of the perfect night in goal were put to rest late in the 16th minute when Sergei Suberov finally broke through for the visitors. Regardless of the goal, it was a fine performance in goal for the Latvian, who received player of the day for the home side.
Dinamo Riga’s next game on Friday promises to be one of the biggest of the season for both them and their opposition Torpedo. They will be hoping for a massive home crowd to help get them over the line.
After the game Robert Petrovicky stated that this evening the team will be savoring the win, with trainer Juliuss Šuplers not mentioning Friday’s game.
“He has not talked about the game yet. We will enjoy tonight’s victory and come back and start concentrating on the game tomorrow,” Šuplers told the press.
