MINSK, 8 February (BelTA) – HC Dinamo Minsk's shootout victory over Jokerit Helsinki on 7 February keeps the KHL playoff chances alive for the Belarusian team, BelTA has learned.
Dmitry Meleshko's shootout winner lifted Dinamo Minsk over the Helsinki team 3-2. Alexei Kalyuzhny placed the Minsk Bisons on the scoreboard in the 29th minute, capitalizing on a power-play. The next two goals, both on the power play too, from Philip Larsen and Peter Regin turned the game around to give Jokerit a 2-1 lead by the 49th minute. Paul Szczechura saved Dinamo converting the power play to take the action into overtime.
With 81 points Dinamo Minsk is six points away from the playoff zone.
The Western Conference table:
1. CSKA – 127 points (58 games played);
2. Jokerit – 105 (58);
3. Lokomotiv – 119 (58);
4. Sochi – 102 (58);
5. Dynamo Moscow – 102 (58);
6. SKA – 100 (58);
7. Torpedo – 98 (58);
8. Slovan – 87 (57);
9. Dinamo Minsk – 81 (58);
10. Medvescak – 78 (58);
11. Spartak – 71 (58);
12. Dinamo Riga – 68 (57);
13. Vityaz – 64 (58);
14. Severstal – 56 (58).
Dinamo Minsk have two more games to play in the KHL regular season. Following an international break the Belarusian team will complete the regular season with home games against Spartak on 16 February and Torpedo on 18 February.
