An 8-0 win for Amur Khabarovsk set a new club best - and left CSKA reeling. A fairly even first period gave little indication of what was to come, as Amur shaded it thanks to Dmitry Tarasov’s goal. But the second session saw the hosts hit top form, firing home five unanswered goals - two for defenseman Mikko Maenpaa, the first of a double for Martin Ruzicka, Jakub Petruzalek’s solitary goal in his four-point haul and a further effort for Alexei Kopeikin. CSKA switched goaltenders, and with Sergei Gaiduchenko in place the third period proved slightly more competitive, with the visitors outshooting Amur but failing to get past Jan Lasak.
Sibir shows signs of recovery
A second successive win for Sibir Novosibirsk pointed to progress under recently appointed head coach Dmitry Yushkevich - but the 5-2 scoreline leaves Dinamo Minsk facing a real battle for a seeded spot in the Western Conference. Sibir carried on where it left off against Lev Poprad, and the hosts were seldom troubled after Vyacheslav Belov and Viktor Drugov opened up a 2-1 lead in the second period. For Dinamo, defeat means just two points from a three-game tour of the Far East and once back in Belarus the Bison face a series of tough home games against the perennial powerhouses of the Eastern Conference.
Derby delight
One of those giants, Ak Bars Kazan, enjoyed a comfortable derby win at home to Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk - and swiftly avenged a 4-3 defeat to the same opposition on Dec. 27. Jarkko Immonen hit a double inside the first 10 minutes, and Maxim Spiridonov posted 1+1 as the home side eased to a 4-1 triumph. Unusually, both sides changed goaltenders in the opening minutes: Ak Bars lost Petri Vehanen to injury on 3:21, while Neftekhimik’s Tuomas Tarkki was withdrawn after conceding the second goal on 8:08.
Randy’s day
Randy Robitaille inspired Metallurg Novokuznetsk to a fourth successive win, getting a goal and an assist to help beat Lev Poprad 3-1. Robitaille set up Vladimir Loginov for Metallurg’s second goal, and completed the scoring himself in the third period.
