CSKA’s derby joy

CSKA defended deep to shut out city rivals Dynamo Moscow and grab a 2-0 win. For Dynamo, Monday’s game was a tale of frustration as a string of powerplays went unconverted thanks to the goaltending exploits of Rastislav Stana. He made 40 saves in a spectacular display and when Leo Komarov finally got the puck into his net the video officials ruled out the goal for use of the feet. Ironically that came on a CSKA powerplay: the hosts got their goals through defenseman Alexander Guskov’s long-range effort and and a late breakaway tucked home by Ilya Zubov.

Spartak smashed
Across the city Traktor Chelyabinsk became the latest team to record a crushing win at Spartak, running out 7-1 victors. It was a sixth defeat in a row for the hosts, and follows earlier maulings at home to Dynamo (1-7), Neftekhimik (2-7) and SKA (1-8). The key men for Traktor were Vladimir Antipov (2+0), Evgeny Kuznetsov (1+2) and Alexander Ryazantsev (1+1). Marcel Hossa got Spartak’s consolation goal.

Vityaz bounce back
Vityaz Chekhov’s aggression against Traktor on Saturday prompted a scandal in Russian hockey - but with the team’s notorious tough-guys starting suspensions the Moscow Region side produced a 6-1 win at home to struggling Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg. Two goals early on from Nikita Dvurechensky (5:21) and Georgy Belousov (6:54) set the tone for a rare success for Vityaz.

Rapid recovery
Severstal Cherepovets did not let the shock of conceding first at home to Barys Astana cause any distress - three goals in 67 seconds set the team on the road to a 7-1 win. Mikko Lehtonen cancelled out Kevin Dallman’s opener on 9:40, 18 seconds later Maxim Chudinov put Severstal ahead and Alexander Stepanov extended the advantage on 10:47. Vadim Shipachyov, the KHL’s leading pointscorer, got three assists to take his season’s tally to 38; Lehtonen finished with two goals and Chudinov added two assists to his goal.

Irgl’s hot streak
Dinamo Minsk forward Zbynek Irgl has been on top form lately - finding the net in the last three outings and picking up seven points from his last four games. On Monday he completed the scoring in Dinamo’s 4-2 home win over Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod, calming home nerves after Alexei Ugarov had put Torpedo within one goal of the hosts on 55:52.