Rekord Stadium, IRKUTSK, Russia -- In a season that has been marked by inconsistency, Baikal-Energia fans have something to cheer about on this International Womens Day as the home side defeated Zorky Krasnogorsk 6-3 in front of a capacity crowd at Rekord Stadium.
Four Baikal players had multi-point games, led by Alexander Nasonov's two goals and two assists. Roman Murzin also scored two goals, while Nikolai Kadakin registered a goal and an assist. Those two tallies give Nasonov 40 goals on the year, good for fifth place in the league.
The decision to move the game from Irkutsk's much larger Trud Stadium was made the night before the game. Warmer weather had severely affected the quality of the ice, team officials said, forcing the move to the artificially-cooled surface at Rekord. The change of venue left literally thousands out in the cold, as Rekord has a capacity of only 6,300, while Trud holds more than 18,000.
The win puts Baikal in eighth place in the standings. There are only four games left to play for each team, and at 7-11, the best Irkutsk can hope for is a .500 finish. Dynamo Moscow sits atop the 12-team table at 15-1.
The playoff format is rather bizarre, and honestly, it just took me about 15 minutes to figure it out even though I have grasped it before, and even written about it. Each team has currently played seven or eight games of their 12-game schedule, which consists of home-and-home matchups with the six playoff teams from the opposite division. Also included in the overall standings are the results of regular season matches between eventual playoff teams (thus Baikal's regular season losses to SKA-Neftyanik are included in the current standings, but its win over SKA-Sverdlovsk is not).
Here is how Baikal has fared thus far:
Rodina Kirov 7:3 Baikal-Energia
Zorky Krasnogorsk 14:6 Baikal-Energia
Baikal-Energia 7:3 Raketa Kazan
Baikal-Energia 6:5 Uralsky Trubnik Pervouralsk
Volga Ulyanovsk 7:6 Baikal-Energia
Dynamo Moscow 19:5 Baikal-Energia
Baikal-Energia 4:6 Rodina Kirov
Baikal-Energia 6:3 Zorky Krasnogorsk
And the remaining schedule:
March 12: @ Raketa Kazan
March 15: @ Uralsky Trubnik Pervouralsk
March 19: vs. Volga Ulyanovsk
March 22: vs. Dynamo Moscow
Baikal is certainly capable of beating the next three teams, but a win in the season finale at home against Dynamo is a lot to ask of this squad. After a season of crushing defections and lowered expectations, a victory in that game would certainly bode well for this young team heading into next season.
Showing posts with label Bandy Playoffs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bandy Playoffs. Show all posts
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Goddammit! Zorky Crushes Baikal 14-6
BOULDER, Colorado -- In the words of Carl Brutanananadilewski, I'm pissed. Not only was I unable to find a webcast of today's match in Krasnogorsk, but Baikal-Energia proceeded to lose to Zorky 14-6, dropping them to 0-2 in the playoff tournament.
I knew that the departure of the core of the team during the off-season, save Kadakin and Nasonov, meant that a league championship was out of the question, but this team continues to show itself incapable of playing well against good teams. To the latter's credit, he did manage four goals and an assist in this lopsided affair.
I suppose Baikal's season in many ways mirrors that of my favorite team here in North America, the Boston Bruins. While the Bruins play well enough to stay in the playoff hunt - and, like Baikal, if they make it in at all it will be by the slimmest of margins - they cannot seem to beat any of the elite teams in the league. They simply lack the offensive firepower to compete with the top teams, and were it not for an MVP performance from their goaltender, Tim Thomas, this Bruins team would be sharing the basement with the Lightning.
With a slate of games against some of the best teams in the country still left to play, Baikal's chances of cracking even the top half of the playoff teams are slim. The times are lean indeed, and even Irkutsk's legendary attendance figures have dropped off sharply this season. But I'll leave my screeds about club management for another post.
With the outdoor games that made me fall in love with this club quickly becoming a distant memory, I sometimes wonder when I will get back to see a bandy match in Irkutsk.
I knew that the departure of the core of the team during the off-season, save Kadakin and Nasonov, meant that a league championship was out of the question, but this team continues to show itself incapable of playing well against good teams. To the latter's credit, he did manage four goals and an assist in this lopsided affair.
I suppose Baikal's season in many ways mirrors that of my favorite team here in North America, the Boston Bruins. While the Bruins play well enough to stay in the playoff hunt - and, like Baikal, if they make it in at all it will be by the slimmest of margins - they cannot seem to beat any of the elite teams in the league. They simply lack the offensive firepower to compete with the top teams, and were it not for an MVP performance from their goaltender, Tim Thomas, this Bruins team would be sharing the basement with the Lightning.
With a slate of games against some of the best teams in the country still left to play, Baikal's chances of cracking even the top half of the playoff teams are slim. The times are lean indeed, and even Irkutsk's legendary attendance figures have dropped off sharply this season. But I'll leave my screeds about club management for another post.
With the outdoor games that made me fall in love with this club quickly becoming a distant memory, I sometimes wonder when I will get back to see a bandy match in Irkutsk.
Baikal Embarassed in Playoff Opener
Rodina Stadium, KIROV, Russia -- Baikal-Energia Irkutsk did not start their playoff run well, falling to Rodina Kirov 7-3 on Thursday.
Rodina scored seven goals before Baikal was able to get on the scoreboard. Maxim Blem scored off a corner in the 68th minute to prevent the shutout. He was followed by Roman Murzin, who was assisted by Alexander Nasonov, and Yevgeny Yakovlev capped off the scoring in the 81st minute.
Rodina entered the tournament ranked sixth in the West Division, finishing the season with a 7-9-2 record, so this loss does not bode well for Baikal's performance against the elite teams of the West.
Baikal will next face one of those elite teams, Zorky Krasnogorsk, on February 17th. Zorky finished the season in second place with a 17-1 record, missing out on the top spot due to Dynamo Moscow's outrageous +153 goal differential.
Rodina scored seven goals before Baikal was able to get on the scoreboard. Maxim Blem scored off a corner in the 68th minute to prevent the shutout. He was followed by Roman Murzin, who was assisted by Alexander Nasonov, and Yevgeny Yakovlev capped off the scoring in the 81st minute.
Rodina entered the tournament ranked sixth in the West Division, finishing the season with a 7-9-2 record, so this loss does not bode well for Baikal's performance against the elite teams of the West.
Baikal will next face one of those elite teams, Zorky Krasnogorsk, on February 17th. Zorky finished the season in second place with a 17-1 record, missing out on the top spot due to Dynamo Moscow's outrageous +153 goal differential.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Baikal Slips Behind Yenisei, Qualifies for Playoffs
BOULDER, Colorado -- Baikal-Energia Irkutsk split their final two games of the regular season to finish in fifth place in the East Division, good enough to guarantee them a spot in the league playoffs.
Baikal lost to Yenisei Krasnoyarsk on February 6, 6-4. But they finished off the season on a strong note, coming from behind to defeat Sayany Abakan 6-5 on February 9.
Alexander Nasonov continued his hot streak, netting three goals in the two games to give him a team-leading 24 on the season. He also led the team in points with 29, followed by Yevgeny Yakovlev with 18 and Konstantin Savchenko's 16.
Baikal-Energia finished the season with a 9-8-1 record, good for 28 points in the East Division. Here are the final standings:
Team (W-L-T-/Pts.)
1. Kuzbass Kemerovo (17-1-0/51)
2. SKA-Neftyanik Khabarovsk (15-1-2/47)
3. Sibselmash Novosibirsk (10-5-3/33)
4. Yenisei Krasnoyarsk (10-7-1/31)
5. Baikal-Energia Irkustsk (9-8-1/28)
6. Lesokhimik Ust-Ilimsk (5-11-2/17)
7. Mayak Krasnoturinsk (5-12-1/16)
8. Sayany Abakan (4-11-3/15)
9. SKA-Sverdlovsk Yekaterinburg (4-13-1/13)
10. Metallurg Bratsk (3-13-2/11)
Under the playoff format established last season, the top six teams from each division reach the second round, a round robin tournament in which the teams must play each team from their opposite division twice. The overall leader in the standings following this tournament is declared the league champion.
Here is the schedule of Baikal's playoff matches:
February 14th: Rodina Kirov 7:3 Baikal-Energia Irkutsk
February 17th: @ Zorky Krasnogorsk
February 21st: vs. Raketa Kazan
February 24th: vs. Uralsky Trubnik Pervouralsk
February 27th: @ Volga Ulyanovsk
March 1st: @ Dynamo Moscow
March 5th: vs. Rodina Kirov
March 8th: vs. Zorky Krasnogorsk
March 12th: @ Raketa Kazan
March 15th: @ Uralsky Trubnik Pervouralsk
March 19th: vs. Volga Ulyanovsk
March 21st: vs. Dynamo Moscow
The teams that finished ranked 7th-10th in their respective divisions will also play a round robin tournament to determine the 13th-20th places. The team that finishes in last place will be relegated to the first division, while the winner of the first division playoffs will be invited to the elite league next season.
Baikal lost to Yenisei Krasnoyarsk on February 6, 6-4. But they finished off the season on a strong note, coming from behind to defeat Sayany Abakan 6-5 on February 9.
Alexander Nasonov continued his hot streak, netting three goals in the two games to give him a team-leading 24 on the season. He also led the team in points with 29, followed by Yevgeny Yakovlev with 18 and Konstantin Savchenko's 16.
Baikal-Energia finished the season with a 9-8-1 record, good for 28 points in the East Division. Here are the final standings:
Team (W-L-T-/Pts.)
1. Kuzbass Kemerovo (17-1-0/51)
2. SKA-Neftyanik Khabarovsk (15-1-2/47)
3. Sibselmash Novosibirsk (10-5-3/33)
4. Yenisei Krasnoyarsk (10-7-1/31)
5. Baikal-Energia Irkustsk (9-8-1/28)
6. Lesokhimik Ust-Ilimsk (5-11-2/17)
7. Mayak Krasnoturinsk (5-12-1/16)
8. Sayany Abakan (4-11-3/15)
9. SKA-Sverdlovsk Yekaterinburg (4-13-1/13)
10. Metallurg Bratsk (3-13-2/11)
Under the playoff format established last season, the top six teams from each division reach the second round, a round robin tournament in which the teams must play each team from their opposite division twice. The overall leader in the standings following this tournament is declared the league champion.
Here is the schedule of Baikal's playoff matches:
February 14th: Rodina Kirov 7:3 Baikal-Energia Irkutsk
February 17th: @ Zorky Krasnogorsk
February 21st: vs. Raketa Kazan
February 24th: vs. Uralsky Trubnik Pervouralsk
February 27th: @ Volga Ulyanovsk
March 1st: @ Dynamo Moscow
March 5th: vs. Rodina Kirov
March 8th: vs. Zorky Krasnogorsk
March 12th: @ Raketa Kazan
March 15th: @ Uralsky Trubnik Pervouralsk
March 19th: vs. Volga Ulyanovsk
March 21st: vs. Dynamo Moscow
The teams that finished ranked 7th-10th in their respective divisions will also play a round robin tournament to determine the 13th-20th places. The team that finishes in last place will be relegated to the first division, while the winner of the first division playoffs will be invited to the elite league next season.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Congrats, Dynamo, Yada, Yada, Yada
BOULDER, Colorado -- The Russian bandy season is over, and I have not put up a post in over a month. Can you blame me? The final standings shook out just like everybody expected them to, and again, Dynamo Moscow bought themselves another championship. Well done.
I also have not really been in the mood for bandy of later, because a few things in the hockey world have had me depressed. The Boston Bruins completely imploded and will miss the playoffs again. Dynamo Moscow (the regular hockey team, not the bandy team) only made it to the playoffs because they expanded the field mid-season, and then made a swift exit in the first round. The various college hockey programs I support (Middlebury, Yale, Quinnipiac) have had disappointing seasons. I probably would have been happier had I simply rooted for Baikal-Energia, as they posted the most respectable finish - fourth place - of any of these clubs.
Here are some of my thoughts on this year's bandy season.
It's hard to follow Russian sports from North America. I am not referring to the fact that Russia is far away, and they speak a totally different language - I'm referring instead to the different sports sensibilities that exist in the two places. In North America, we are accustomed to parity and some degree of transparency in our sports leagues. None of this exists in Russia, and it gives at least the appearance that professional sports are completely unfair and rigged.
The new playoff format was designed to guarantee that Dynamo won the championship. Who ever heard of a playoff system in which the points you earned in the regular season carry over? With the lead they had built up, no team had a chance of catching them. And take note of my previous point - this change was pushed through without any real discussion in the league.
The debacle in Kemerovo. Further proof that a team like Baikal-Energia, which has neither the finances nor the connections with the powers that be in the federation, will never win the championship.
So, my conclusion is that the deck is stacked against us, which, while depressing, makes the end of the season all the more meaningful. We beat Dynamo Moscow, at home, 3-2. I wish I could have been there, packed into the bandbox of a stadium, Rekord, to watch it. I'd like to say hello to Alex, a visitor to Irkutsk who took interest in Baikal-Energia, and I hope to see him in Boulder sometime soon to discuss the season I was forced to listen to over the radio.
I suppose this is the last post of the season. Thanks to all people that visited the site and sent me feedback. By the summertime, I hope to have a real website up and running to spread the word about the greatest sport on skates. So stay tuned.
I also have not really been in the mood for bandy of later, because a few things in the hockey world have had me depressed. The Boston Bruins completely imploded and will miss the playoffs again. Dynamo Moscow (the regular hockey team, not the bandy team) only made it to the playoffs because they expanded the field mid-season, and then made a swift exit in the first round. The various college hockey programs I support (Middlebury, Yale, Quinnipiac) have had disappointing seasons. I probably would have been happier had I simply rooted for Baikal-Energia, as they posted the most respectable finish - fourth place - of any of these clubs.
Here are some of my thoughts on this year's bandy season.
It's hard to follow Russian sports from North America. I am not referring to the fact that Russia is far away, and they speak a totally different language - I'm referring instead to the different sports sensibilities that exist in the two places. In North America, we are accustomed to parity and some degree of transparency in our sports leagues. None of this exists in Russia, and it gives at least the appearance that professional sports are completely unfair and rigged.
The new playoff format was designed to guarantee that Dynamo won the championship. Who ever heard of a playoff system in which the points you earned in the regular season carry over? With the lead they had built up, no team had a chance of catching them. And take note of my previous point - this change was pushed through without any real discussion in the league.
The debacle in Kemerovo. Further proof that a team like Baikal-Energia, which has neither the finances nor the connections with the powers that be in the federation, will never win the championship.
So, my conclusion is that the deck is stacked against us, which, while depressing, makes the end of the season all the more meaningful. We beat Dynamo Moscow, at home, 3-2. I wish I could have been there, packed into the bandbox of a stadium, Rekord, to watch it. I'd like to say hello to Alex, a visitor to Irkutsk who took interest in Baikal-Energia, and I hope to see him in Boulder sometime soon to discuss the season I was forced to listen to over the radio.
I suppose this is the last post of the season. Thanks to all people that visited the site and sent me feedback. By the summertime, I hope to have a real website up and running to spread the word about the greatest sport on skates. So stay tuned.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Shazam! Two Home Wins for Baikal
Trud Stadium, IRKUTSK, Russia -- Baikal-Energia Irkutsk got their championship run back on track with wins over Raketa Kazan and Zorky Krasnogorsk.
Baikal is now tied for third place in the tables with Kuzbass Kemerovo.
On Thursday, Baikal beat Raketa 5-4, and they thumped Zorky 5-1 on Sunday.
More updates to come soon.
Baikal is now tied for third place in the tables with Kuzbass Kemerovo.
On Thursday, Baikal beat Raketa 5-4, and they thumped Zorky 5-1 on Sunday.
More updates to come soon.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Baikal Suffers Major Championship Setback
PNTZ Stadium, PERVOURALSK, Russia -- Baikal-Energia Irkutsk suffered a crushing defeat on the road Sunday against Uralsky Trubnik, falling 5-0 in their second round robin play-off match.
The loss means Baikal has collected only one point in two games after their 3-3 tie against Rodina Kirov.
Swedish forward David Karlsson did most of the damage, recording a hat trick. Baikal again was unable to stay out of the penalty box, recording 65 penalty minutes for the second consecutive game.
Due to their strong finish to the regular season, Baikal still has a firm hold on fourth place with 22 points, behind Kuzbass (25 points), Zorky and Dynamo (33 points each).
Play-off Scores
Raketa Kazan 8:8 Kuzbass Kemerovo
Zorky Krasnogorsk 5:0 Sibselmash Novosibirsk
Volga Ulyanovsk 3:3 Yenisei Krasnoyarsk
Rodina Kriov 4:0 SKA-Neftyanik Khabarovsk
Dynamo Moscow 19:5 SKA-Zabaikalets Chita
The loss means Baikal has collected only one point in two games after their 3-3 tie against Rodina Kirov.
Swedish forward David Karlsson did most of the damage, recording a hat trick. Baikal again was unable to stay out of the penalty box, recording 65 penalty minutes for the second consecutive game.
Due to their strong finish to the regular season, Baikal still has a firm hold on fourth place with 22 points, behind Kuzbass (25 points), Zorky and Dynamo (33 points each).
Play-off Scores
Raketa Kazan 8:8 Kuzbass Kemerovo
Zorky Krasnogorsk 5:0 Sibselmash Novosibirsk
Volga Ulyanovsk 3:3 Yenisei Krasnoyarsk
Rodina Kriov 4:0 SKA-Neftyanik Khabarovsk
Dynamo Moscow 19:5 SKA-Zabaikalets Chita
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Russian Playoff Matchups All Set
BOULDER, Colorado -- The playoff schedule for the Russian Bandy League has been announced, and Baikal-Energia Irkutsk will play their first match on Thursday against Rodina Kirov.
This year, the league will use a round robin format in which the top six teams from each division will play each team from their opposite division twice. In previous years, the top eight teams from the East and West made it to the playoffs, which were a single-elimination, home-and-home series format.
The teams that finished ranked 7th-11th in their respective divisions will also play a round robin tournament to determine the 13th-22nd places. The team that finishes in last place will be relegated to the first division, while the winner of the first division playoffs will be invited to the elite league next season.
Here is a schedule of Baikal-Energia's playoff matches:
February 15th: Baikal-Energia Irkutsk @ Rodina Kirov
February 18th: Baikal-Energia Irkutsk @ Uralsky Trubnik Pervouralsk
February 22nd: Raketa Kazan @ Baikal-Energia Irkutsk
February 25th: Zorky Kransogorsk @ Baikal-Energia Irkutsk*
March 1st: Baikal-Energia Irkutsk @ Volga Ulyanovsk
March 4th: Baikal-Energia Irkutsk @ Dynamo Moscow*
March 8th: Rodina Kirov @ Baikal-Energia Irkutsk
March 11th: Uralsky Trubnik Pervouralsk @ Baikal-Energia Irkutsk
March 15th: Baikal-Energia Irkutsk @ Raketa Kazan
March 18th: Baikal-Energia Irkutsk @ Zorky Krasnogorsk*
March 22nd: Volga Ulyanovsk @ Baikal-Energia Irkutsk
March 25th: Dynamo Moscow @ Baikal-Energia Irkutsk *
* Key matchups for Baikal
This year, the league will use a round robin format in which the top six teams from each division will play each team from their opposite division twice. In previous years, the top eight teams from the East and West made it to the playoffs, which were a single-elimination, home-and-home series format.
The teams that finished ranked 7th-11th in their respective divisions will also play a round robin tournament to determine the 13th-22nd places. The team that finishes in last place will be relegated to the first division, while the winner of the first division playoffs will be invited to the elite league next season.
Here is a schedule of Baikal-Energia's playoff matches:
February 15th: Baikal-Energia Irkutsk @ Rodina Kirov
February 18th: Baikal-Energia Irkutsk @ Uralsky Trubnik Pervouralsk
February 22nd: Raketa Kazan @ Baikal-Energia Irkutsk
February 25th: Zorky Kransogorsk @ Baikal-Energia Irkutsk*
March 1st: Baikal-Energia Irkutsk @ Volga Ulyanovsk
March 4th: Baikal-Energia Irkutsk @ Dynamo Moscow*
March 8th: Rodina Kirov @ Baikal-Energia Irkutsk
March 11th: Uralsky Trubnik Pervouralsk @ Baikal-Energia Irkutsk
March 15th: Baikal-Energia Irkutsk @ Raketa Kazan
March 18th: Baikal-Energia Irkutsk @ Zorky Krasnogorsk*
March 22nd: Volga Ulyanovsk @ Baikal-Energia Irkutsk
March 25th: Dynamo Moscow @ Baikal-Energia Irkutsk *
* Key matchups for Baikal
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