Oystrick, Lev force Game 7

Lev get to live another day. In the "white hell", their fans wearing white shirts to the game, and creating a fantastic atmosphere, both teams didn't disappoint. Nine goals, a lot of thriller and a happy end for the home side.

The game coming to the end, it seemed the Czechs were left out without gas and that Metallurg will finally clinch the title. Mike Keenan saved his first line and didn't give them much ice-time in the final ten minutes, concentrating on defense.

But it took one careless mistake in the defensive zone by one of their best players, Sergei Mozyakin, that allowed Mikko Maenpaa to steal the puck within the offensive zone and rack up a tally levelling the score and forcing overtime. It's not over until the Czechs say it's over!

Justin Azevedo and Martin Sevc had goals in the first frame to render Mozyakin's scoring opener midway through the first. Ryan O'Byrne added another one midway through the second tying it again, this time at 3, while Petri Vehanen had 26 saves.

Mozyakin got the game going at 9:47 with a solo-effort over the left and a backhander from close range to beat Vehanen in net. The Czechs started better with Patrick Zackrisson having two hard shots on net in means of seconds, both times deflected by the netminder, Vasily Koshechkin, who had 27 of 32 saves.

Azevedo was left alone with too much space on the blue and crashed the net on a one-timer at 13:53. Ondrej Nemec found Martin Sevc stretched out on the right wing at 19:09 who lifted Lev over for the first time in the game, seconds before Jan Kovar was to get back in after a roughing penalty.

Mikhail Yunkov and Chriss Lee scored two unanswered goals at 22:35 and 24:55 respectively, before Ryan O'Byrne tied the score at 3.

Sergei Mozyakin, with his 20th assist in the post-season, allowed Francis Pare get Metallurg back on the winning track after a 2-on-3 rush that started in the neutral zone, but the defense, strengthened by Martin Thornberg that just had made his way out of the box, couldn't react properly, and Pare just doesn't seem to miss such a gift opportunity.

As time was winding down Maenpaa forced the overtime. Lev players looked a bit tired in the end, they clearly wanted to finish the game quick to have a good night sleep and prepare for Game 7. But first they needed to force it.

Nathan Oystrick took the pledge, took the puck in his own zone and dashed down the ice towards Koshechkin. His first shot got the deflected but then Patrick Zackrisson kept it alive and sent it back deep, Oystrick who had stayed around the net deflected it past the goalie from the left sending the spectators in the stands into trance.

Four minutes aside in penalties tonight, as special teams didn't get much to do. Game 7 is set for Wednesday in Magnitogorsk and it will finally bring the decision. The whole season is getting to a single game of hockey.

Tweets by @eurohockey