Sochi wins again, Jaskin on target for Ak Bars
Day two of the Sochi Hockey Open brought just one game, with the host defeating Avangard 3-1. In warm-up action, Ak Bars enjoyed a 5-0 win over Neftyanik with new signings Dmitrij Jaskin and Damir Zhafyarov both on target. Spartak blanked Vityaz, and Salavat Yulaev outscored Neftekhimik.
Sochi Hockey Open
HC Sochi 3 Avangard Omsk 1 (0-0, 1-0, 2-1)
Host team Sochi picked up a second win in successive days as Avangard fell to defeat in its tournament opener. Leopards head coach Dmitry Kokorev continued to look at the team’s depth, while Avangard had several new faces on the first line. Of the five skaters on the ice at the start, only defenseman Damir Sharipzyanov was at the club last season. He was paired with summer signing Libor Sulak, while Kirill Panyukov, Valentin Pyanov and Igor Geraskin formed the first attacking combination.
The first period was goalless. Sochi was the more frustrated team at the intermission, having squandered three power play chances. However, the home team got ahead in the second, albeit slightly against the immediate run of play. Michal Kristof opened the scoring and, for the second game in a row, the Leopards could celebrate a goal from a newly-signed import.
Avangard still found it tough to get through, and came under more pressure in the third period. A power play chance saw Borna Rendulic on target once again, then Kirill Petkov’s solo effort opened a 3-0 lead. Sulak potted a consolation effort for the Hawks on the power play, but this was very much Sochi’s day.
Warm-up games
Spartak Moscow 2 Vityaz Moscow Region 0 (1-0, 0-0, 1-0)
Spartak took on Vityaz in its first pre-season game of the summer and Alexei Zhamnov’s team secured the win thanks to a shut-out from Andrei Skovronsky.
The Red-and-Whites went with an experimental line-up – Skovronsky, for example, is a 25-year-old with just four KHL appearances to date. However, the scoring came from the more experienced players on the team. Matvei Zaseda established himself in the first team last season, and he opened the scoring early on when he stuffed home the rebound from Michal Cajkovsky’s shot. The second goal, midway through the third, went to Roman Rukavishnikov, a summer signing from SKA. He marked his debut with a shot from the left point.
At the end of the 60 minutes, the teams also played a period of 3-on-3 overtime which saw Maxim Tsyplakov add a further goal for Spartak. He and his team-mates are back in action on Sunday with a Moscow derby against Dynamo. Vityaz plays again on Thursday against Amur.
Salavat Yulaev Ufa 4 Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk 2 (0-1, 2-1, 2-0)
Ufa’s first pre-season action drew a crowd of 4,000 fans. However, most of the home team’s big names were found away from the ice. Alexander Chmelevski, Alexander Sharov and Nikita Kulemin were involved in a photo-session, while long-serving defenseman Grigory Panin switched to the media tribune as co-commentator on the live stream.
Instead, Salavat Yulaev’s coaching staff looked at prospects from Toros and Tolpar. The top line had room for Yegor Suchkov, alternate captain Alexei Pustozyorov and new signing Matvei Guskov, but the rest of the team was made up of players looking to impress in the final month of pre-season.
That experimental roster almost snatched an early lead, but Neftekhimik’s greater experience helped the visitor get the only goal of the first period. Alexei Monakhov skilfully wrapped up a counterattack midway through the opening frame.
After the intermission, Salavat Yulaev turned things around. Daniil Ogirchuk, a former SKA prospect looking to get a regular KHL spot in Ufa, tied it up with a well-worked goal, then Guskov’s power play tally gave the home team the lead. Neftekhimik equalized just before the second break when Dmitry Zhukenov converted a power play at the other end.
Third-period tallies from Daniil Skorikov and Guskov – his second of the game – sealed the win for Salavat Yulaev.
Neftyanik Almetyevsk 0 Ak Bars Kazan 5 (0-1, 0-3, 0-1)
Dmitrij Jaskin was on target as Ak Bars began its pre-season games with a comfortable win against VHL opposition. The prolific Czech international formed part of a star-studded top line with Vadim Shipachyov and Alexander Radulov, and found the net in the middle frame on the power play.
That made the score 3-0, with another high-profile new signing, Damir Zhafyarov opening the scoring in the fourth minute. Kirill Semyonov made it 2-0 in the second period, and Maxim Marushev added a fourth before the 40-minute mark. Marushev, an Ak Bars graduate, is back at his first club on a try-out contract after a spell in North America.
The final word went to Ilya Safonov, who combined with Zhafyarov and Radulov to wrap up a five-goal victory. Then, in a post-game shoot-out, Radulov grabbed the decisive goal to complete a good day for him and his team.
