Defending champ fights back. March 19 playoffs
Two goals in 52 seconds late in the second period changed the course of this game. The double strike put CSKA on the way to a second victory in this Western Conference semi-final series.
CSKA Moscow 3 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 2 (0-1, 2-1, 1-0)
(CSKA leads the series 2-0)
The defending champion picked up a second win at the start of its Western Conference semi-final series against Lokomotiv. Today, though, CSKA had to battle back from 0-2 to see off the Railwaymen.
After failing to score in the first game, Lokomotiv needed less than four minutes to solve Adam Reideborn in game two. Nikita Cherepanov fired in a point shot and the rebound went to Denis Alexeyev, who fired a in wrist shot that took a deflection on its way past the Swedish goalie.
That was a just reward for an enterprising start by the Railwaymen, and they continued to press after taking the lead. CSKA had to wait until midway through the first period before testing Daniil Isayev – defenseman Nikita Nesterov took matters into his own hands with a solo break before Isayev stopped his shot – and Lokomotiv finished the first period up 17-4 on shots. However, there was only one goal on the scoreboard, and the closest we came to second was a counterattack late in the frame as the visitor killed its first penalty of the game. Artur Kayumov did well in the corner, setting up Sergei Andronov on the slot, but the former CSKA man could not force the puck beyond Reideborn.
After the intermission, the visitor continued to create chances. Another former CSKA man, Maxim Shalunov, had Reideborn at full stretch to deny a second goal in the 27th minute. Shortly after that, the Muscovites took two penalties one after the other. Although the home team killed them both, Lokomotiv’s momentum soon brought a second goal. This one came on the counter, with Shalunov sending Maxim Beryozkin flying into the CSKA zone to beat Reideborn with a wrister to the top corner.
However, the two-goal lead did not last long. CSKA responded quickly and wiped out Loko’s advantage with two goals in 52 seconds. First, Maxim Sorkin’s point shot caused chaos in front of Isayev’s net. Mikhail Grigorenko steered the puck into the path of Maxim Mamin and the host was on the scoreboard. Then Konstantin Okulov fed Darren Dietz in the center of the Lokomotiv zone. The defenseman needed two attempts, but managed to beat Isayev and tie the game in the 36th minute.
Lokomotiv was rocked by that double blast, but had a chance to regain the lead towards the end of the session. Artyom Sergeyev took a hooking call, but the power play produced little more than a Rushan Rafikov shot that whistled just over the crossbar.
Beginning the third period level at 2-2, both teams knew that the next goal would be crucial. Indeed, it could prove a decisive moment not just for the game, but for the whole series. The difference between going to Yaroslavl level and going to Yaroslavl with a 2-0 scoreline would be enormous. Perhaps those high stakes explain why Loko’s earlier attacking verve faded and CSKA took the initiative. The home team had a couple of chances before Grigorenko made it 3-2 in the 44th minute.
After that, Loko had a couple of dangerous chances. First, Nikulin dinged the crossbar after feinting his way into a shooting position. Then the same player went around the back set up Pavel Kraskovsky, only for the forward to shoot straight at the grateful Reideborn.
Gradually, though, CSKA got a grip on things and closed out the game. The Muscovites even fashioned a couple of opportunities on the counter, the best of them falling to Pavel Karnaukhov. In the final stages, Isayev made way for a sixth skater and Beryozkin produced one last test for the CSKA goalie, but the home team held on to hit the road with a commanding advantage.
