Jadran HN emerges victorious from new shootout drama

Jadran Herceg Novi leads 2:0 in the final of the Montenegrin Championships. This evening, Jadran beat Primorac in Kotor in a dramatic 2nd match of the final that was decided by a penalty shootout. The final score was 15:14 after a 9:9 tie in regular time. The penalty thriller also decided the winner in the first game in Herceg Novi. Four days ago, Jadran recorded a 16:14 victory at home. The third, and maybe the last, match of the best-of-five series is scheduled to take place in Herceg Novi on Saturday.

During the 32 minutes of play in Kotor, Jadran was never ahead. However, the visitors managed to equalize the score in the fourth quarter and made no mistake during the shootout.

Djordjije Stanojevic opened the scoring with two goals midway through the first quarter, giving Primorac a 2:0 lead. From that point until the middle of the second period, the teams exchanged goals. Three minutes before halftime, Primorac was leading 4:2. However, Jadran responded, netting two goals within 38 seconds from Kholod and Sladovic to level the score at 4:4. Shortly after, Nika Shushiashvili converted a man-up opportunity, allowing Primorac to enter the second half with a 5:4 lead.

At the beginning of the second half, Shushiashvili had a chance to double the hosts’ advantage, but Jadran’s goalkeeper, Darko Djurovic, saved his penalty shot. Shushiashvili soon redeemed himself, scoring to make it 6:4. Danilo Radovic quickly replied for Jadran with a goal during a 6-on-5 situation. However, in the following minutes, the hosts managed to build a three-goal lead for the first time. In the 21st minute, Djordjije Stanojevic scored his third goal, stretching the margin to 8:5.

The visitors narrowed the gap before the end of the third quarter and opened the final period very well. Less than four minutes before the end, Jadran finally caught up with Primorac. Left-handed Danilo Stupar leveled at 8:8. Veteran Drasko Brguljan gave Primorac a new lead in the following possession. In the last three minutes, both teams missed several man-up opportunities. But, Vasilije Radovic managed to score with an extra player to equalize at 9:9 with 77 seconds left on the clock. It was the last goal in the regular time and an exciting duel continued in the penalty shootout.

There were no misses or saves in the first five rounds of shots. In the 6th round, Primorac’s Dragan Draskovic missed, while Aleksandar Ivovic sent the ball into the net for 16:15. The final score was Jadran’s only lead in the match. But it came at the right time.