38th time lucky

There was a resounding sigh of relief from Dinamo Minsk fans on the 27th of September, as they finally saw their favorites capitalize on the extra man advantage. In seven games from the start of the season, despite having 36 attempts, the Minsk men could not convert a single power play into a goal, whether with a one-man or even a two-man advantage.

Even in their eighth game, chance number 37 came and went, but at the 38th attempt defenseman Jere Karalahti (pictured) at long last lifted the curse. The KHL’s current longest dry spell in power play now belongs to Avtomobilist: the Yekaterinburg men’s most recent success was back on the 16th of September, since when they have not scored in 28 attempts spanning 5 games.

The KHL record for the longest spell without a power play goal belongs to Vityaz, who in season 2008/2009 failed to score from 69 successive attempts, in a run of 9 games stretching from the 11th of September to the 2nd of October.