Play-off battles in Moscow Region. February 7 round-up

In Podolsk Vityaz kept its play-off hopes alive with a 2-1 win over Admiral, but the visitor is starting to look like a long shot for a post-season berth. With much at stake for both teams it took a long time to break the deadlock, with home goalie Harri Sateri pulling off a great save to thwart a two-man Admiral break early in the second. Vityaz eventually got ahead in the 39th minute thanks to an Alexander Kucheryavenko goal and doubled that advantage through Nikita Vyglazov midway through the third. Konstantin Makarov’s power play goal pulled one back for Admiral but Vityaz took the points to move to within two points of eighth-placed Torpedo, having played two games more. Admiral stays ninth in the East and now has seven points to make up on Avtomobilist. Avtomobilist strengthened its position in the East thanks to a shoot-out win at Atlant. Aaron Polushaj got the decisive goal after a 2-2 tie. Atlant, which badly needs points to keep its own play-off hopes alive, took the lead in ...