Skellefteå hold on against persistent Vítkovice to move on to Final
They’ve been close before, but Skellefteå AIK have finally reached the Champions Hockey League Final for the first time after losing the Return Game on home ice 2-1 to Vítkovice Ridera, but winning the Semi-Final 5-4 on aggregate score.
Starting the game with a two-goal aggregate lead, Skellefteå really looked in control when they increased it to three less than six minutes in. Rickard Hugg fed Elias Salomonsson and the big defenceman cut in from the point to the slot and let go a low wrister that beat Matěj Machovský through a crowd.
In the last minute of the first period, Matěj Přibyl nearly answered back for Vítkovice when he broke in alone on Linus Söderström but was denied.
Vítkovice didn’t quit and persistence paid off in the 33rd minute on the powerplay, where the Czech team has been dominant all season in the CHL. Marcel Barinka’s shot from the right wing to the far side handcuffed Söderström, and the puck found space between the goalie’s body and blocker and dribbled across the line.
Less than two minutes later, Skellefteå thought they’d restored their three-goal advantage – even raised their sticks to celebrate – but Machovský made a marvellous pad save from point-blank range, stopping the puck on the goal line.
Early in the third period, Vítkovice took the lead in the game and cut the aggregate deficit to one when Valentin Claireaux’s shot from a sharp angle was blockered away by Söderström, but the rebound went right to Marek Kalus who knocked the puck out of mid-air and into the net.
Vítkovice pressed for the equaliser but with their lead down to one, Skellefteå tightened up defensively and didn’t allow many quality chances. Vítkovice called their timeout with 1:35 to play, but were then pinned in their own zone for almost a minute, not giving Machovský a chance to get to the bench until the last 40 seconds.
But Vítkovice didn’t even manage a shot on goal the rest of the way, with their lone attempt – a one-timer from Kalus – blocked. The puck was then cleared and the remaining seconds ticked off.
