Helenius, Riku

KHL (Russia) Playoffs

Western Conference
(8)Dynamo Riga 2 @ (1)St. Petersburg 4
Riga Leads the Series 2-1
Martins Karsums, Dynamo Riga, 0-0-0, -2, 2 PIM, 1 SOG
Season totals: 12 GP, 4-4-8, +7, 16 PIM
Playoff totals: 3 GP, 0-0-0, -2, 2 PIM

Top seed St. Petersburg avoided being swept on the strength of 1 goal and 1 assist from former NHL star Alexei Yashin. Lightning prospect Martins Karsums played 14:23 in the match and took a minor penalty for tripping. He has yet to score in the playoffs.

(6) Spartak Moscow 1 @ (3)Dynamo Moscow 3
Spartak Leads the Series 2-1
Johan Harju, Dynamo Moscow, DNP
Season totals: 55 GP, 4-14-18, -10, 38 PIM
Playoff totals: 2 GP, 1-0-1, -2, 8 PIM

Also staving off an upset sweep was Dynamo Moscow, which got goals from former NHLers Vitaly Yachmenev and Mattias Weinhandl. They did so without the services of Lightning prospect Johan Harju.

Elsewhere in the KHL, KHK MVD became the first team to go through to their conference semifinals, sweeping CSKA 3 games to 0. Tomorrow, all four Eastern Conference series will be played with Yulaev, Magnitogorsk, Kazan, and Nizhnekamsk attempting to complete sweeps of their own. The remaining three Western Conference series will also be played, with Riga, Spartak Moscow, and Yaroslavl attempting to avoid their series being extended to a Game Five.

Elitserien (Sweden)
Farjestads 1 @ Sodertalje 3
Riku Helenius, Sodertalje, Win, 29/30, 1.00 GAA, .967 sv%
Season totals: 9 GP, 4-2-2, 0 SO, 2.42 GAA, .923 sv%

Riku Helenius and Sodertalje completed their regular season with a solid 3-1 win against Farjestads. Ex-Kings prospect Yanick Lehoux had a pair of goals in the match. Sodertalje finished 11th in the 12 team Elitserien. They'll now await the start of the Kvalserien till Elitserien relegation/promotion series on March 21st where they'll face some of the best teams from the second tier Allsvenskan. Sodertalje had to play their way into the Elitserien last year, too, so this is nothing new for their fans. The series will run for 10 games until April 11th, so Helenius' season isn't over yet. Thus far though, his decision to jump into Swedish hockey has been successful. It remains to be seen, though, if it's been successful enough for him to have played his way back into the Lightning's plans.

KHL Playoffs (Russia)

3-11-10
Eastern Conference

(1)Yulaev 5 @ (8)Ekaterinurg 1
Yulaev Leads the Series 1-0
Denis Kazionov, Ekaterinburg, 0-0-0, E, 6 PIM, 6 SOG
Regular season totals: 51 GP, 5-3-8, -18, 20 PIM
Playoff totals: 1 GP, 0-0-0, E, 6 PIM

This probably won't end well for Ekaterinurg. Top seed Yulaev got goals from five different goal scorers as they blew out Ekaterinburg in Game One of their opening round playoff series. Lightning prospect Denis Kazionov played 14:54 in the match and led his team with 6 shots on goal. He also took three aggressive minor penalties for cross checking, charging, and roughing. It's a hat trick of minor penalty nastiness.

(2)Magnitogorsk 5 @ (7)Chelyabinsk 2
Magnitogorsk Leads the Series 1-0
Vasily Koshechkin, Magnitogorsk, Win, 35/37, 2.00 GAA, .946 sv%
Season totals: 49 GP, 25-16-8, 8 SO, 1.96 GAA, .927 sv%
Playoff totals: 1 GP, 1-0, 0 SO, 2.00 GAA, .946 sv%

Magnitogorsk thumped Chelyabinsk 5-2 despite being outshot 37-33 in the contest. Former NHLers Sergei Fedorov and Stan Chistov each had 1 goal and 1 assist for Magnitogorsk in the victory.

(3)Kazan 4 @ (6)Astana 3 (OT)
Kazan Leads the Series 1-0
Dmitri Kazionov, Kazan, 0-0-0, +2, 0 PIM, 4 SOG
Season totals: 52 GP, 18-9-27, +7, 18 PIM
Playoff totals: 1 GP, 0-0-0, +2, 0 PIM

Former NHLer Niko Kapanen had a pair of goals for Kazan as they defeated Astana in their opening game of the KHL playoffs. The elder Kazionov played 22:53 in the match for Kazan.

(4)Nizhnekamsk 2 @ (5)Omsk 0
Karri Ramo, Omsk, Loss, 20/22, 2.02 GAA, .909 sv%
Season totals: 44 GP, 21-17-4, 4 SO, 2.11 GAA, .913 sv%
Playoff totals: 1 GP, 1-0. 0 SO, 2.02 GAA, .909 sv%

This much I know to be true: if your team can't score a goal for you, you can't win a playoff game as a goaltender.

Western Conference
(1)St. Petersburg 1 @ (8)Riga 3
Riga Leads the Series 2-0
Martins Karsums, Riga, 0-0-0, E, 0 PIM, 2 SOG
Season totals: 12 GP, 4-4-8, +7, 16 PIM
Playoff totals: 2 GP, 0-0-0, E, 0 PIM

I smell upset. Riga got 1 goal and 2 assists from Martin Kariya to help defeat St. Petersburg 3-1 and stake Riga to a 2-0 lead over the top seed in their opening round playoff series. Martins Karsums played 17:55 in the match.

(3)Dynamo Moscow 0 @ (6)Spartak Moscow
Spartak Leads the Series 2-0
Johan Harju, Dynamo Moscow, 0-0-0, -1, 0 PIM, 3 SOG
Season totals: 55 GP, 4-14-18, -10, 38 PIM
Playoff totals: 2 GP, 1-0-1, -2, 8 PIM

Unfortunately, an upset may also be in the offing for Spartak over Dynamo Moscow as well. Former Flyers farm hand Stefan Rucizka assisted on the only goal of the match by Evgeny Lapenkov. Johan Harju played just 10:43 in the match and was 38% on draws.

Elitserien (Sweden)

Sodertalje 3 @ MODO 2
Riku Helenius, Sodertalje, Win, 31/33, 2.00 GAA, .939 sv%
Season totals: 8 GP, 3-2-2, 0 SO, 2.60 GAA, .918 sv%

After sitting backup the past two games, Helenius was back in net for Sodertalje, backstopping them to a 3-2 win over MODO. Former NHLer Markus Naslund had 1 goal and 1 assist in the match for MODO. Sodertalje's regular season concludes on Saturday against Farjestads. They sit 11th in the 12 team league and will miss the playoffs.

Lulea 3 @ Sodertalje 0
Riku Helenius, Sodertalje, DNP
Season totals: 7 GP, 2-2-2, 0 SO, 2.68 GAA, .914 sv%

Helenius sat backup to Pontus Sjogren for the second straight game as Sodertalje was blanked by Johan Harju's former team, Lulea.

Sodertalje 2 @ Skelleftea 7
Riku Helenius, Sodetalje, DNP
Season totals: 7 GP, 2-2-2, 0 SO, 2.68 GAA, .914 sv%

Helenius must be relieved he avoided the bombing suffered by starter Pontus Sjogren in the match. Both teams managed 29 shots on goal, but the save percentages weren't.

Frolunda 4 @ Sodertalje 1
Riku Helenius, Sodertalje, Loss, 33/37, 4.00 GAA, .892 sv%
Season totals: 7 GP, 2-2-2, 0 SO, 2.68 GAA, .914 sv%

Helenius and Sodertalje were overwhelmed in the match by Frolunda, which outshot their opponent by a margin of 37-17. Former Lightning defenseman Janne Niskala had a helper in the match for Frolunda.