Gynge hits hat-trick as Traktor wins again

Day Two of the Chelyabinsk Governor’s Cup saw Richard Gynge starring in the host’s 6-4 win over Metallurg. Earlier, Salavat Yulaev edged Avangard in overtime to leave the Siberians awaiting their first win of the competition.

Avangard Omsk 2 Salavat Yulaev Ufa 3 OT (1-1, 1-0, 0-1, 0-1)

Avangard suffered its second loss at the Chelyabinsk Governor’s Cup after going down to a shoot-out goal from Pyotr Khokhryakov. Bob Hartley made several changes to the roster that suffered a 2-5 reverse against Traktor in the opening game but his team was unable to hold onto the lead and ended up losing out to Khokhryakov’s solo rush past two defenseman which ended in a wrist shot beyond Karri Ramo.

The early stages had been rather better for Avangard. After just 28 seconds, the Omsk team went in front when Maxim Berezin beat Juha Metsola on the short side. But a blunder from Ville Pokka handed Salavat a tying goal midway through the first frame: the Finn’s pass went straight to Georgy Busarov, who needed no second invitation to beat Ramo.

Alexander Perezhogin was the architect as Avangard went 2-1 up in the second period. He produced a great pass from behind the net to feed Kirill Semyonov, but a Salavat power play early in the third saw Joonas Kemppainen tie the game once more.

Traktor Chelyabinsk 6 Metallurg Magnitogorsk 4 (2-2, 1-1, 3-1)

Richard Gynge scored a hat-trick as Traktor claimed victory in this South Ural derby. The Swede, who enjoyed his best KHL season in Chelyabinsk last term, looks to be warming up nicely for the new campaign and his goals made the difference here.

Photo: 15.08.18. Cup governor of Chelyabinsk region. Traktor (Chelyabinsk) - Metallurg (Magnitogorsk)

The game got off to an explosive start. Metallurg took the lead after 109 seconds through Pavel Dorofeyev, but Traktor tied it up in the fourth minute when Vitaly Kravtsov scored during a passage of 4-on-4 play. Andrei Chibisov restored the visitor’s lead before Gynge got his first on 16 minutes.

The middle frame saw Chibisov turn provider as Evgeny Biryukov put Magnitka ahead again, but Gynge’s second of the game kept the scores level at the 40-minute mark.

Early in the third, Traktor got in front for the first time. Paul Szczechura made it 4-3 in the 41^st minute and Gynge completed his treble to open a two-goal advantage for the first time in the game. Ivan Vereshchagin got one back for Metallurg midway through the final stanza as the visitor grabbed its third power play goal of the night, but within a minute Szczechura set up Alexander Bergstrom to make it 6-4 and complete the scoring.