All-Star excitement and retro hockey — the KHL week in review
It was a week where famous names from the past returned to the spotlight, where a KHL coaching staff took on the appearance of Tsarist-era gentlemen, and where young prospects blazed a trail at the All-Star Game.
Team Bobrov takes All-Star crown
A thrilling weekend of All-Star action in Chelyabinsk ended with Team Bobrov defeating Team Kharlamov 7-6 in the final. Damir Zhafyarov was one of three SKA players who had two goals for Bobrov in that final. However, he insisted that on the day, everyone was a winner.
Team Bobrov wins All-Star Game in free-scoring finals
“It’s about everyone who took part, everyone who came to watch, or followed it on TV. This is a festival for everyone, everything was great. We had a hard game: we took our chances, and they didn’t. But in the end, when they pulled their goalie, that was tough.
In the KHL, we always have a busy schedule, but the All-Star Game is a chance to relax. We can catch up with old friends and make new ones. I’d play in every All-Star Game if I could.”
Proskuryakov the surprise star
Edged out in the final, Team Kharlamov could take consolation from dominating the Skill Show. Captained by Traktor’s Anton Burdasov and backstopped by Chelyabinsk goalie Ilya Proskuryakov, they won four of the seven events to take the crown. Proskuryakov was playing at his first All-Star Game, and proved unbeatable in his shoot-out challenge, saving all six attempts he faced. Yet after spending last season in the VHL with Lada, he admitted he never imagined he would be part of such a showcase.
“A few months ago, I couldn’t even have imagined that anyone would invite me to the All-Star Game,” he said. “The call was a pleasant surprise. But once I got the invite, I had to work hard to show the fans that we deserved to be out on the ice.”
Youngsters shine in All-Star action
Two of the four junior players called up for the KHL All-Star Game made the most of their opportunity. Ivan Demidov (SKA-1946) and Roman Kantserov (Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk) both scored hat-tricks in Sunday’s medal games. Demidov added the shoot-out winner for Team Tarasov in the bronze medal playoff against Team Chernyshev. Kantserov, though, finished on the losing side against Team Bobrov despite his three goals.
The Professor’s revenge
One of the season’s more intriguing coaching duels pits two members of the Red Wings’ famous ‘Russian five’ against each other. Game one of the series saw Sergei Fedorov’s CSKA won 4-0 at Igor Larionov’s Torpedo. Game two brought victory for the Professor. His Torpedo team won 4-2 in Moscow. Moreover, it seems that Larionov has a most able student in the form of his son, Igor Jr. The youngster had three points (1+2) in the CSKA game, twice helping his team come from behind before setting up Kirill Voronin’s game winner.
Larionov ties up series with Fedorov. December 7 round-up
Time travel at Spartak
The annual retro game at Spartak each December is an established tradition. This year, however, was a bit different. In honor of Moscow’s 875th anniversary, the club decided to explore all epochs in the Russian capital’s long history. Given freedom to choose, players had a variety of old-fashioned transport to the game – including a horse-drawn carriage for some. The home team’s coaching staff got into the spirit of the occasion, donning top hats and tails to look every inch the gentlemen of the Bolshoi Theater. There was one historical inaccuracy, though. When hockey started in the USSR in 1946, penalty shoot-outs were not a thing. For the retro game against Dynamo, a 1-1 tie forced the teams to decide a winner. And the visitor took the verdict thanks to Dmitry Rashevsky’s successful attempt.
Busy finish as KHL heads into All-Star break. December 8 round-up
Jurusik’s stellar return
Kunlun’s American goalie Matt Jurusik missed almost two months due to injury. On his first game back, he wasted no time showing everyone what we’ve been missing. Jurusik made 47 saves – a career best – to blank Lokomotiv in Yaroslavl. His third shut-out of the season was enough to ensure that Jack Rodewald’s goal late in the first period secured the win for the Dragons. Red Star has now won twice at Loko this season, having previously failed to manage a single victory in Yaroslavl in the team’s KHL history.
Bill’s back!
Following the departure of Oleg Znarok, Ak Bars turned to a club legend to help lead the team. Zinetula Bilyaletdinov was already involved in Kazan in an overarching management role. However, after Yury Babenko was installed as interim head coach, the three-time Gagarin Cup winner was brought back to the Ak Bars coaching staff. Bilyaletdinov insisted after the game that he was not imposing his methods on Babenko and his colleagues. However, he added that he was relishing a coaching role once again.
“I enjoy talking to the players and the coaching staff,” he said. “I say what I feel and talk about what I would have done, but I merely express my thoughts. It’s an interesting role. Circumstances forced me to come back on the back, and only time will tell how long it lasts.”
Game one, at least, was a success: Ak Bars defeated Dynamo Moscow in overtime.
Miroshnichenko makes KHL debut
Ivan Miroshnichenko showed how he has overcome serious illness to make his first KHL appearances. The Avangard prospect, who was drafted by the Capitals in the first round earlier this year, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma back in March. Happily, he came through a long course of treatment to return to the ice in some style: 11 (8+3) points in eight games for Omsk’s juniors. That brought his call to the senior team, and he featured as the 13th forward as Avangard thumped Traktor 5-1. Since then, Miroshnichenko also played in two more KHL games.
