Copenhagen 7, Edinburgh 4 – Series tied 1-1
The Copenhagen Tridents produced the only win by a visiting team through 12 games of the EURO Playoffs, after they poured it on in the second and third periods in Scotland Friday. The Tridents trailed 3-1 before Russian star Alexander Ovechkin scored twice in the second period to tie the game. One of his goals was on a power play and the other while shorthanded and Brooks Laich assisted on both. Boyd Gordon gained assists on the next two Copenhagen goals, which sandwiched a Jamie Benn tally for Edinburgh, and Copenhagen carried a 5-4 lead into the final minute. Edinburgh pulled their goalie and Copenhagen’s Laich salted away the game with a shot into the empty net. Gordon added insult to injury by scoring 5 seconds later with Kari Lehtonen back in goal for Edinburgh. Gordon was one of four Copenhagen players to finish the game with 3 points and he added 6 hits and 2 blocked shots to his stats line. Benn scored 3 of Edinburgh’s 4 goals and the game featured 4 power play goals and 2 shorthanded scores. The teams have flown to Denmark for Game 3 of the series on Sunday. Copenhagen, which is without Stephen Weiss and now possibly Nick Holden, has now won 6 of the 8 games the teams have played against each other in Season 4.
Belfast 3, Helsinki 2 – Belfast leads series 2-0
A spirited game in Northern Ireland finished with a Joe Pavelski goal as the difference between the two sides. Helsinki outshot Belfast 35-32 and outhit them 28-23, and there were two fights between Micki Dupont of Belfast and Helsinki’s Zach Smith. Belfast led 1-0 after one and 2-0 after two periods, getting goals from the point courtesy of Victor Hedman and P.K. Subban. Helsinki’s Paul Stastny cut it to a one-goal lead before Pavelski reinstated the 2-goal cushion 3 minutes later. Smith scored to make it 3-2 with 6 minutes left, but Belfast held on to the lead until the final buzzer. Alexander Radulov played well for Helsinki, getting off 4 shots and blocking 4 that were heading toward his goalie.
Moscow 6, Stockholm 0 – Moscow leads series 2-0
Moscow has looked dominant in two games against No. 8 see Stockholm. Spartak has outscored the Eagles 13-2 and outshot them 74-37. On Friday Jaroslav Halak earned the shutout and fourth-liner Benoit Pouliot was the offensive star, collecting a goal and 2 assists in just 5 minutes of ice time. Linemates Vinny Lecavalier and David Jones each added a goal and an assist. Stockholm’s best players were Jeff Carter and Mike Richards, who combined for a total of 6 hits and 6 blocked shots.
Minsk 5, Gothenburg 3 – Minsk leads series 2-0
Gothenburg’s Blake Wheeler scored two power play goals in a span of 1:16 to tie the game midway through the second period, and it looked like the Devils had momentum in their quest to tie the series, but Minsk prevailed. The second line of Patrik Berglund, Thomas Powell and Gustav Nyqvist was heroic Friday. The trio was on the ice for 4 of Minsk’s 5 goals, including two power play goals and a big score by defenseman Maxim Chudinov which came in the second period not long after Wheeler tied the contest. Powell, the Game 1 hero, finished with 4 assists and Berglund was spectacular, with 7 shots, 4 points, 3 hits and 1 blocked shot. Adam Henrique was Gothenburg’ most effective player, scoring their first goal and getting assists on both Wheeler goals.
