Admiral’s playoff hopes end, Severstal edges Dynamo. February 19 round-up

There were just two games on Wednesday’s KHL card, and they could hardly have been more different. First, Traktor handed a 5-0 thrashing to Admiral, a result that extinguishes the Sailors’ hopes of reaching the playoffs. Then Severstal and Dynamo went the full distance, tying 2-2 in regulation before the Steelmen got the verdict over the Muscovites in a shoot-out.

Admiral out of playoff contention

Traktor Chelyabinsk 5 Admiral Vladivostok 0 (2-0, 1-0, 2-0)

Admiral’s wretched run of recent form – defeated in 11 of its last 13 games – meant that only victory would suffice at Traktor if its playoff hopes were to remain intact. However, another heavy loss ensured that the Sailors’ season would come to a close at the end of this month, leaving Neftekhimik and Amur to battle with Metallurg and Kunlun Red Star for the two remaining tickets in the East.

Photo: 19.02.20. KHL Championship 2019-2020. Traktor (Chelyabinsk) - Admiral (Vladivostok)

Traktor, whose playoff hopes ended earlier, had greater cause for satisfaction. Vladimir Yurzinov’s team picked up a third win in five games, while Vyacheslav Osnovin collected his 100^th point in the KHL when he scored the second goal of the game.

Before that, Yegor Fateyev gave Traktor an early lead; subsequently Yaroslav Kosov scored twice and Nick Bailen added a fifth to complete the scoring. Admiral suffered a sixth successive loss and has failed to score in 135 minutes, 59 seconds of game time since Denis Vikharev’s late consolation goal in a 1-6 loss at Neftekhimik on Saturday.

Another Severstal shoot-out success

Severstal Cherepovets 3 Dynamo Moscow 2 SO (1-1, 0-1, 1-0, 0-0, 1-0)

Severstal enjoyed a shoot-out win over Dynamo for the third time this season, gaining a measure of revenge for an 8-1 loss in Moscow the last time it met this opponent. The visitor led twice in regulation but was unable to finish the job, and after a long shoot-out, Vladislav Kodola secured the victory for the host and sent fourth-placed Dynamo spinning to a second successive loss.

Photo: 19.02.20. KHL Championship 2019-2020. Severstal (Cherepovets) - Dynamo (Moscow)

Dynamo got an early lead thanks to a fifth-minute goal from Vladimir Bryukvin, but Severstal tied it up two seconds before the intermission when Vadim Kudako converted a power play. The home team spent much of the early part of the second period on the PK but managed to get the puck in the net. However, the officials spotted Alexander Petunin interfering with Dynamo goalie Alexander Yeryomenko and the effort was whistled off.

The visitor went in front for a second time after 32 minutes, with Vladislav Yefremov adding to his first period assist and making it 2-1. However, Severstal responded in the third with a goal from ex-Dynamo man Alexander Petunin and that was enough to steer the game into overtime.