Magnitka levels its series against Barys. March 3 playoffs
Andrei Chibisov scored twice as a big win for Metallurg tied its series with Barys. The home team had three power play goals as it cancelled out Tuesday’s loss.
Metallurg Magnitogorsk 6 Barys Nur-Sultan 2 (2-1, 3-0, 1-1)
(Series tied at 1-1)
Veteran goaltender Vasily Koshechkin was preferred to Juho Olkinuora for game two of this series. In taking to the ice, Koshechkin joined Salavat Yulaev’s Evgeny Biryukov in playing in all 14 KHL playoffs to date. However, he did not get off to the best of starts, allowing a goal after just 76 seconds as Barys took an early lead. Kirill Semyonov’s high-sticking penalty proved costly as the visitor’s power play clicked into gear and Jakob Lilja arrived at the back door to convert Nikita Mikhailis’ feed.
That lead was short-lived, and the tying goal ended a surprisingly long-lasting drought. Andrei Chibisov was playing in his 30th post-season game and, five minutes in, potted his first playoff goal. Coming off a broken play, Chibisov collected a loose puck in front of the net and fired past Joni Ortio. Late in the opening frame, Metallurg took the lead for the first time when Arkhip Nekolenko set up Grigory Dronov at the top of the left-hand circle.
At the end of the first period, Barys was reduced to three skaters but while shorthanded at the start of the second, the visitor almost grabbed a tying goal. A defensive error enabled Olle Alsing to skate to the net, but Koshechkin came up with the save. Moments later, with Barys back to four men, Chibisov got his second of the game to extend the home lead.
The visitor’s problems got worse. Starting goalie Ortio went to the bench to fix a problem with his equipment and, while he was away, Philippe Maillet added a power play goal. Then, within a minute, Barys had a goal whistled down after a video review. Lilja redirected a Roman Savchenko point shot past Koshechkin, but the Magnitka bench challenged the play, claiming offside, and the review upheld that complaint.
Ortio returned to the game, but there was no change of fortune. Instead, Brendan Leipsic added a fifth goal after Savchenko’s wayward pass was intercepted by Yegor Korobkin.
By now, the outcome was beyond doubt. Nikita Boyarkin returned to the net for the third period, but the youngster was beaten in the 46th minute when Josh Currie added another power play goal. Barys only had pride to play for, but there was psychological value in a big finish before the teams travel to Kazakhstan for games three and four of the series. And the visitor gave itself that little lift when Jacob Berglund beat Koshechkin on the blocker side to add a consolation tally.
