Komarov breaks his duck in SKA win. December 25 round-up
Leo Komarov needed 14 games to get his first goal since joining SKA, but the Finnish international potted the opener in his team’s hard-fought 4-3 win at Sibir on Saturday. Among the other high flyers, there were wins for Metallurg, Traktor and Dynamo Moscow, while Severstal snapped its losing streak with an overtime success at Ak Bars.
Loko victory dents Amur playoff hopes
Amur Khabarovsk 2 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 4 (1-2, 0-1, 1-1)
Amur’s playoff hopes took a hit after the Tigers suffered a fifth successive loss. For Lokomotiv, meanwhile, Saturday’s win was the second in a row and lifts Igor Nikitin’s team to within a single game of the top four.
The opening goal came in the eighth minute when the puck found Yegor Korshkov on the slot and he outwitted Patrik Bartosak. Amur was unable to score on its first power play attempt of the game, and after returning to the action Georgy Ivanov doubled Loko’s lead.
Late in the first period, the Tigers hit back through Danil Faizullin’s power play tally and after the intermission Ivan Nikolishin was close to tying the scores when he hit the post. Shortly afterwards, though, the visitor extended its lead when Denis Alexeyev got free on the slot and sent a backhander past the goalie. Bartosak was called to the bench and with Evgeny Alikin taking over between the piping, the home team began to enjoy more of the play.
There was a lifeline for Amur on 48 minutes when Dmitry Arkhipov forced the puck into the net. During the play, the net came off its moorings, but a video review confirmed that the goal was good. However, it was not the start of a fightback; Loko continued to profit when it got to the slot and Reid Boucher made the final score 4-2 in the 56th minute.
Admiral keeps up improved form
Admiral Vladivostok 3 Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk 2 SO (1-1, 0-0, 1-1, 0-0, 1-0)
Neftekhimik is in the thick of the playoff race, starting today’s game in seventh place, two points clear of Avtomobilist in ninth. Up against an improving Admiral, which collected its fourth win in five games, the visitor managed just one point – but the 2-2 tie in regulation keeps the team secure in its top eight spot for now.
Both teams led in this game, but neither held an advantage for long. Neftekhimik was first to strike when Maxim Berezin opened the scoring in the 16th minute, only for Vojtech Mozik to level the scores 1:36 later. Then the game remained deadlocked until midway through the third period when Admiral went ahead thanks to Libor Sulak. Again, the lead was short-lived and Slava Leshchenko continued his strong start to his Neftekhimik career when he scored for the third game in a row since joining the Nizhnekamsk men from Vityaz.
Leshchenko’s first two goals came in victories but there would be no third time lucky for him today. Instead the game went to a shoot-out and home goalie Nikita Serebryakov got the better of every opponent. Vladislav Ushenin and Josh Kestner were on target as Admiral put clear water between itself and basement club Kunlun Red Star.
Photo: 25.12.21. KHL Championship 2021-2022. Admiral (Vladivostok) - Neftekhimik (Nizhnekamsk)
Komarov on target for SKA at last
Sibir Novosibirsk 3 SKA St. Petersburg 4 (0-1, 3-2, 0-1)
SKA avenged its home defeat against Sibir back in October, edging a high-scoring game in which Nikita Gusev was in impressive form. Gusev collected three points, while Leo Komarov scored his first goal since returning to the KHL as the Army Men underlined their status as Western Conference leader.
Komarov, who went 14 games without a goal after returning from North America, opened the scoring in the fifth minute, aided by an error from Harri Sateri in the home net. The Finnish goalie literally presented his compatriot with the puck for the opening goal.
That was the only score of the opening frame, but the middle frame was far more incident packed. SKA began on the power play, and Gusev took advantage to extend the lead. Then Nick Shore and Anton Burdasov traded goals within the space of couple of minutes. From 1-3 down, though, Sibir began to fightback. Jyrki Jokipakka saw a goal ruled out for goalie interference after a bench challenge. However, Jokipakka quickly got a legitimate goal and shortly after the midway stage Nikita Setdikov tied the game at 3-3.
That rush of scoring was not due to an endless fusillade of shots on goal – the teams shared six goals of just 25 shots on target. And scoring chances remained hard to come by in the closing stages. However, Gusev fed Mikhail Vorobyov for a one-timer midway through the third period to win the game. SKA scored four goals from just 14 shots on a day when clinical finishing made the difference.
Photo: 25.12.21. KHL Championship 2021-2022. Sibir (Novosibirsk Region) - SKA (St.Petersburg)
Fast start gives Ufa the edge
Salavat Yulaev Ufa 4 Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg 2 (4-1, 0-0, 0-1)
A strong first period gave Salavat Yulaev a win over Avtomobilist, helping Tomi Lamsa’s team move on point clear of Ak Bars into third place in the Eastern Conference. Avtomobilist, meanwhile, slipped to a fourth straight loss and remains outside the playoff spots.
The visitor was unable to start on time in this game and went behind after 35 seconds when Alexander Kadeikin stuffed home his 11th goal of the season. However, Salavat Yulaev was unable to press home that advantage. Avtomobilist had two unsuccessful power plays – one of them called against the coaching staff for unsporting conduct – before tying the scores thanks to Stanislav Bocharov in the 12th minute.
Far from tipping the balance in the visitor’s favor, though, that goal provoked a big response from Ufa. Danil Bashkirov quickly restored the lead, then Markus Granlund converted his team’s first power play of the game to make it 3-1. Late in the opening frame, Pavel Koledov added a fourth and chased Vladimir Galkin from the net to be replaced by Dmitry Shikin. At the intermission, Ufa had four goals from eight shots.
Shikin solved one problem for Avto – the Motormen did not allow another goal in the game. However, he could not add extra pep to the offense, which fired blanks throughout the second period. Early in the third, Patrice Cormier made it 2-4 and gave Avtomobilist some hope, but two penalties on Sergei Shumakov slowed the fightback and helped Ufa hold on for the win.
Photo: 25.12.21. KHL Championship 2021-2022. Salavat Yulaev (Ufa) - Avtomobilist (Yekaterinburg)
Sedlak double gives Traktor anniversary win
Traktor Chelyabinsk 4 Barys Nur-Sultan 2 (2-0, 1-1, 1-1)
Lukas Sedlak scored twice and Nick Bailen had a hat-trick of helpers as Traktor celebrated the club’s 74th anniversary with a home win over Barys. Saturday’s success makes it three wins from four as the Chelyabinsk team continues to pursue league leader Metallurg.
The home team took control of the game with two quick goals in the first period. Nikita Tertyshny opened the scoring in the ninth minute, claiming his 20th goal of a breakout season. Then a couple of quick penalties left Barys at a two-man disadvantage. Sedlak cashed in to double the lead barely a minute later.
Traktor was producing plenty of play that was easy on the eye, but in the second period Barys looked more dangerous on the counter. The game was intriguingly balanced until Sedlak grabbed his second of the night in the 35th minute, with Bailen again playing a big role in a well-worked combination. Jacob Berglund quickly got one back for Barys, scoring against one of his former clubs, and at the start of the third period Anton Sagadeyev brought the visitor back within a single goal.
At that point, Traktor might have wobbled. Barys scented its chance and pushed forward in search of a tying goal. For long periods, the home team was trapped in its own zone but Roman Will held firm in the goal and the final word went to Teemu Pulkkinen, whose empty net tally put the game beyond reach.
Shipachyov’s double paces Dynamo success
Dynamo Moscow 6 Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod 3 (2-1, 3-2, 1-0)
Both these teams have plenty to play for. Dynamo is battling for top spot in the West, while Torpedo is fighting to claim its playoff place. On Saturday, they served up a Christmas cracker, sharing nine goals in Moscow.
Torpedo started with a bang, opening the scoring through Andy Miele after 22 seconds. That’s the third successive game in which Miele has found the net and his current productive streak dates back to Dec. 4, taking in 10 (6+4) points from seven games. However, Dynamo responded with two quick goals. Bogdan Yakimov found the net for the third game in a row to tie it up on 14:28 before Artyom Fyodorov made it 2-1 on 14:55.
Vadim Shipachyov, who reached 800 KHL points in the 7-1 win over Avtomobilist last time out, extended the lead early in the middle frame. Kenny Agostino pulled one back on the power play, but Dynamo jumped to a 5-2 lead midway through the session when Ivan Igumnov and Oskar Lindberg rattled in another pair of quick goals. That brought Andrei Tikhomirov into the game in place of Pyotr Kochetkov, and Torpedo got one back late in the stanza thanks to Nikolai Demidov.
The third period saw the scoring slow down. Dynamo was happy to play out time, while Torpedo found it difficult to generate the offensive power it needed to have a chance of saving the game. The outcome was put beyond doubt in the final minute when Shipachyov scored into an empty net to make the final score 6-3.
Photo: 25.12.21.KHL Championship 2021-2022. Dynamo (Moscow) - Torpedo (Nizhny Novgorod)
Dumbadze spoils Pelino’s arrival in Kazan
Ak Bars Kazan 3 Severstal Cherepovets 4 OT (0-2, 3-1, 0-0, 0-1)
Severstal snapped a five-game losing streak to win in Kazan, despite the home team’s recovery from 1-3 to force overtime. David Dumbadze was the Steelmen’s hero, scoring twice including the overtime decider.
Ak Bars welcomed Mike Pelino onto the bench for the first time and also handed a debut to Canadian defenseman Mark Barberio, recently signed from Lausanne. But it was a Severstal newbie, Nikita Khlystov, who made the first tangible contribution. The ex-Kunlun Red Star man collected an assist on Dumbadze’s fifth-minute opener. Yegor Morozov extended the lead midway through the opening frame and Severstal took that 2-0 lead to the intermission after a Mikhail Glukhov effort was ruled out for a high stick.
The home team managed to reduce the arrears at the start of the second period when Dmitry Kagarlitsky got a legitimate goal. However, a breakaway saw Vladislav Kodola rifle home a third for Severstal.
Now the home revival began in earnest. Kirill Petrov pulled one back, Daniil Tarasov saw a second Ak Bars goal whistled off after a review, and Steven Kampfer finally tied it up in the 35th minute. The stats pointed to Kazan going on to win it in the third, but Severstal dug in to slow the home offense and drag the action into overtime, where Dumbadze potted the decider 54 seconds before the end.
League leader survives Vityaz fightback
Vityaz Moscow Region 3 Metallurg Magnitogorsk 5 (1-3, 1-0, 1-2)
Table-topping Metallurg faced a big battle at lowly Vityaz before securing the win in the last 10 minutes.
It all seemed straightforward for the visitor in the first period as Magnitka jumped to a 3-1 lead. Semyon Koshelev opened the scoring after five minutes before a power play for Metallurg produced a shorthanded effort from Fyodor Malykhin and an instant response from Nikita Korostelyov. The latter was assisted by Nikolai Goldobin, who followed his two goals against Avangard with two helpers here. Midway through the frame, Arkhip Nikolenko added a third, and the Steelmen looked well set.
Despite its lowly place in the standings, Vityaz remains a dangerous opponent. Much of that is due to Niko Ojamaki, the KHL’s leading goalscorer, and he got goal number 27 of the season to reduce the deficit in the second period. At the start of the third, Daniel Audette tied the game, and suddenly Metallurg had to do it all over again.
The visitor prevailed thanks to Philipe Maillet’s goal midway through the third period. The Canadian forward confirmed his recovery from the injury he sustained on international duty last week and redirected Goldobin’s shot beyond Ilya Ezhov. Andrei Chibisov’s empty net goal completed the scoring to keep Magnitka out in front.
Photo: 25.12.21. KHL Championship 2021-2022. Vityaz (Moscow Region) - Metallurg (Magnitogorsk)
Sochi’s fightback falls short
HC Sochi 2 Spartak Moscow 3 (0-1, 0-2, 2-0)
Spartak held on to claim a narrow win at Sochi, moving up to seventh in the table after posting a fifth success in six games.
The Red-and-Whites opened the scoring in the 13th minute when Alexander Nikishin fired home an Alexander Khokhlachyov pass. In the middle frame, Spartak increased its lead. Ilya Baranov got his first goal following his move from Salavat Yulaev before Ivan Drozdov made it 3-0.
However, Sochi managed to bring the game back to life in the third period, grabbing two quick goals. Martin Bakos and Amir Garayev scored just 26 seconds apart to make it a one-goal game, but Spartak held firm in the closing stages to boost its playoff prospects and dampen Sochi’s recent resurgence.
