Traktor wins TANECO Cup

Traktor goalie Nikita Podskrebalin had a big day between the pipes to help his team win the TANECO Cup. The 25-year-old, signed from Ugra over the summer, is expected to spend the season in the VHL with Chelmet. However, he defied Ak Bars’ powerful offense to secure a 2-1 win for his team in the gold medal game. Earlier in the day, Lokomotiv clinched third place with a 4-0 win over Barys.

Ak Bars Kazan 1 Traktor Chelyabinsk 2 (1-1, 0-1, 0-0)

Traktor won the TANECO Cup, defeating host club Ak Bars 2-1 in Monday’s final in Kazan. Vladimir Tkachyov got the winning goal, while netminder Nikita Podskrebalin performed strongly to backstop his team to victory.

Traktor made a strong start, and its pressing game had Ak Bars under pressure almost immediately. When Kirill Adamchuk was forced into an error, the visitor’s Alexander Rykov collected the puck and set up Yegor Fateyev for the opening goal in the third minute. Then came a penalty on Nikita Dynyak as the tournament host struggled to make an impression on proceedings.

After killing that penalty, Ak Bars finally produced some attacking menace. Dmitry Yudin’s cross-ice pass set up Vadim Shipachyov, but Podskrebalin reacted well to make the save. However, he was powerless to stop Ak Bars tying the scores a minute later. Adamchuk’s point shot took a subtle deflection from Ilya Safonov to beat the goalie, with Alexander Radulov screening Podskrebalin’s view.

In the second period, Ak Bars looked to take control of the game. When the teams met in the group stage, it was the latter part of the middle frame that proved decisive as Kazan clawed back a two-goal deficit before going in front at the start of the third. This time, however, although the home team had more puck possession and produced better chances – notably for Daniil Zhuravlyov and Ilya Safonov – the only goal went to Traktor. Tkachyov restored his team’s lead in the 32^nd minute, after Vitaly Kravtsov took the initiative, got away from Slava Voynov and fired the puck invitingly across the face of goal for Tkachyov to score.

In the third period, Traktor’s former Ak Bars defenseman Albert Yarullin found himself in penalty trouble. After sitting for two minutes following a trip on Kirill Semyonov, Yarullin got his stick on the puck before he had fully left the penalty box – and was immediately sent back for two minutes more. However, his team managed to kill all four minutes.

Traktor could have sealed it in the 53^rd minute when Adamchuk’s mistake in front of his own net gave Kravtsov the chance to make it 3-1. However, Artur Akhtyamov snuffed out the chance to keep Ak Bars in the game.

At the other end, Podskrebalin was also busy, and his biggest save came in the final minute. Stanislav Galiyev bore down on the slot, the puck bounced for Shipachyov and his angled shot was heading for the corner until the Traktor goalie did the splits to halt it on the goal line. That secured the win for Traktor, avenged its defeat to Ak Bars in the group stage and handed the visitor the trophy.

Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 4 Barys Astana 0 (3-0, 1-0, 0-0)

Lokomotiv comfortably beat Barys to secure third place in this year’s TANECO Cup. When the teams met in the group stage, the Railwaymen won 2-1. However, both teams made several changes from the rosters on that occasion.

Today’s game was effectively settled in the first period as Loko jumped to a 3-0 lead. Yaroslav Likhachyov, who also scored on Barys in the first game, got things started in the 12^th minute. He converted a power play chance as the Kazakhs suffered from too many unforced errors. Once in front, Lokomotiv extended its lead with goals from Georgy Ivanov and summer signing Martin Gernat.

After the intermission, the pattern of play remained largely unchanged. Lokomotiv dominated in all areas, and could have added more than Alexander Yelesin’s goal as it outshot Barys 19-2.

That was the end of the serious action, with neither team playing at top speed in the third period. Once again, the Barys offense struggled and not even a 5-on-3 power play could bring a goal as the Kazakhs suffered their fourth loss of the tournament.