By Andrew Chernoff Nov. 21 2021
Aisulu Almaty (Kazakhstan) took their undefeated record (7-0-0-0=21 pts) from the start of the season into Austria today, to battle EHV Sabres Vienna (Austria), who were qually undefeated from the start of the season (8-1-0-0=24 pts).
It was a close affair, where the goalkeepers were dominant and back checking and fore checking were fierce.
In the end, the visitors with strong goaltending from Arina Chshykolova, who stopped all 33 shots she faced, overcame the top offensive team in the European Women’s Hockey League, to win 2-0.
Sabres goalie Selma Luggin stopped 22 shots in her first loss of the season.
If there was a game that Aisulu Almaty needed a full 60 minute effort to showcase their skill and execute their game plan to the fullest, this was the game against the EWHL leading EHV Sabres.
The first period was scoreless and penalty free, with the home team Austrian team Sabres, outshooting Almaty, 13-7.
The middle period was more of the same as the 5 on 5 battle was strong on both sides.
Finally a chance would lead to a game breaking goal and it would be the visitors cashing in first as Roxanne Rioux, with her third goal of the season, found a weakness in Sabres goalie Selma Luggin, to break the scoreless tie and give Almaty a 1-0 lead. Yekaterina Kutsenko picked up the lone assist at 12:30.
Before the second period would close out, Almaty’s Madina Tursynova scored her first goal of the season in the final minute to gave Aisulu a two goal lead at 2-0. Assists Anna Pyatkova and Aida Olzhabayeva at 19:32. Almaty outshot Sabres 15-8.
The home team Sabres came out in the third period taking their game to Almaty, trying to orchestrate a comeback down by two goals.
Aisulu kept frustrating the home team at every turn as every shot on net by the Sabres was turned away by Chshykolova, for the victory. Sabres outshot Almaty 12-4 in the period, their undefeated streak ending.
Source: EWHL