A victory full of regrets

Nottingham Panthers, already qualified, and Donbas Donets’k, with the bags ready to back in Ukraine after a very disappointing campaign, open the last day of Continental Cup semifinals in Odense at the unusual time of midday. Donbas is without defender Vladimir Aleksyuk, injured in the first game, but also without probably its best player Roman Blagoy, but also Nottingham has another notable absence in the roster, in addition to goalie Miika Wiikman: forward Matt Carter.

The first period reflects the little stakes: teams play with less competitive spirit and the consequence are few chances from both sides, with a predominance of Ukranian, even if without real dangers for goalie Jindrich Pacl. Panthers’ goalie has much work in the central period, saving twice on Shafarenko at minute 24 and on a missile from Khakimov at 25 and on Lyalka at 26. Meanwhile his colleague Evgeny Tsaregorodtsev has just a difficult save, rebounding on Oliver Betteridge. At minute 33 Brian McGrattan has to leave the ice bleeding after an incidental blow in the face. Right after this episode Donbas opens the score with a nice collective move, finished by Viktor Zakharov. Nottingham has a faint reaction and the game, even if little more than a friendly, become tense, with many contacts and less actions: before the siren Pacl made a brilliant saves on Shafarenko. Donbas doubles the score in the third period, after a chance wasted by Panthers in front of Tsaregorodtsev: Egor Egorov finds the right space to beat Pacl at 42:58. Ukranian goalie saved on Nikiforuk at 46 but have to concede the first goal for Panthers two minutes later, when Brad Moran do not have mercy for him netting a pass from Kalus. Panthers have the best chance at 56, when Kalus didn’t convert a penalty shot shooting on the goalie.

Petr Kalus wasted the chance to tie game missing a penalty shot

In the last two minutes Pacl, before to leave the cage, saves on Ramazanov, Dimmen has the best chance to tie the game with a long-range shot, before the empty net goal by Shafarenko that close the game and a campaign full of regrets for the Ukrainians. Nottingham will be back on ice in January for the Superfinals

MVP: Martins Jakovlevs – Kristian Kudroc

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