Helsinki 4, Copenhagen 3 (shootout)
Copenhagen needs to pull out of a tailspin and get flying straight again. despite out-shooting Helsinki Jokerit 41-32, the Tridents lost in a shootout and have now dropped five of their last six games. Copenhagen took 7 penalties and the Jokerit scored twice with a man advantage. Ilya Bryzgalov was solid in goal, stopping 38 shots and helping Helsinki move into 8th place in the Northern Conference. Martin St. Louis scored twice for Helsinki and Nick Spaling had a goal and an assist. Helsinki’s Jan Hejda had 6 hits and 2 blocked shots, and Brad Marchand, who was minus 2, made up for it by netting the game-winner in the shootout.
Bern 6, Milan 4
League-leading Bern won again and are now 10-1 this season. In a real barn-burner, they outshot the Guerrieri 42-38 with Jason Spezza emerging with 3 points to add to his league lead in scoring. Tobias Enstrom was the first star, as the Bear defenseman was plus 5 and had 2 assists. Milan had a 3-1 lead after the first period, getting goals from Matt Moulson, Dustin Brown and Andrew MacDonald. Milan has already proven to be streaky, having won their first 5 games of the season, then promptly losing 5 of the next 6.
Frankfurt 3, Athens 2 (shootout)
Ondrej Pavelec was perfect for 64 minutes and then in the shootout for Frankfurt. If not for an unfortunate 1-minute lapse in the second period when he allowed goals by Nathan Horton and David Backes, he would have had a shutout. At the other end of the rink, the Inferno was led by Steven Stamkos, who took 6 shots on goal. He opened the scoring when he took the puck along the right wing and whipped one past Tomas Vokoun. Then he slipped one past Vokoun in the shootout, a goal that eventually was the game winner. Drew Doughty also scored for Frankfurt. His third of the season knotted the score in the third period.
Berlin 6, Moscow 2
The Smurfs spread out the scoring, with 13 different players earning at least a point in front of a full house at home. R.J. Umberger had a goal and an assist as well as 4 hits, while fellow Smurf forwards Mikael Samelsson and Kris Versteeg each had two assists. The shots were almost even in the game – Moscow 33, Berlin 32 – but Mika Kiprusoff was the better goalie. Anze Kopitar assisted on both Dynamo goals. Both teams will be in action again on Monday, with Berlin hosting Athens and Moscow hosting Minsk.
Gothenberg 4, Prague 2
Milan Lucic made his presence felt with 7 shots on goal, a pair of minor penalties, 2 assists, 2 blocked shots and 2 hits. He was named the first star. Teammate Vincent Lecavalier had a goal and an assist, but couldn’t help the powerplay get going as they were 0 for 4 with the man advantage. Prague Sparta was much more frustrated with its powerplay, going 0 for 9. Prague’s Jason Blake and John-Michael Liles each scored their second of the season and each of their goals tied the score at the time. But goals by Radek Dvorak (his 4th of the season) and Cal Clutterbuck (1st) gave Gothenberg a 4-2 lead entering the third period.
Bratislava 3, Zurich 2
The Eagles are now in sole possession of second place in the league after beating Zurich 3-2. Captain Zdeno Chara led the way for Bratislava by scoring a goal, getting and assist and being plus 2 with partner Paul Martin. Martin Erat’s powerplay goal in the second period was the go-ahead goal. Both of Zurich’s goals were scored by players who had no goals coming into the game. Derek McKenzie and Gilbert Brule tallied for the Lions, who will make a short flight home tonight but return to Slovakia on Tuesday when the two teams will go at it again on the same ice surface. Bratislava’s mayor let it be known that he had invited the Lions to stay in the city for the off day between games, but Zurich “politely” declined. Still, Zurich players were greeted with boos and derisive signs when they skated onto the ice and will surely be booed again on Tuesday. The only Zurich players who could read the signs were Pavel Kubina and Rostislav Klesla, both of whom grew up in eastern Czech Republic, about 3 hours’ drive from Bratislava. The defense partners were out there for 20 minutes, blocking 7 shots between them, but they were minus 2 together.
