Five-star Ak Bars hits the top. October 12 round-up

A third successive win on the road in the Far East saw Ak Bars score five on Amur and join Metallurg at the top of the Eastern Conference. In Thursday’s other game, Sochi came from behind twice before claiming a shoot-out verdict at Neftekhimik.

Ak Bars keeps up hot streak

Amur Khabarovsk 3 Ak Bars Kazan 5 (1-3, 0-1, 2-1)

Ak Bars continued its tour of the Far East with a third win in three games. Despite two victories in Vladivostok, the visitor tweaked its line-up a little. Damir Zhafyarov returned to the team, as did Kristian Khenkel and Maxim Bykov. Stanislav Galiyev, Vsevolod Almetkin and Semyon Terekhov made way.

Amur also had back-to-back wins against Lada, and head coach Andrei Martemyanov stuck with largely the same team. The only change saw Ignat Korotkikh replace Pyotr Khokhryakov.

The game also promised a goaltending duel. Both Artur Akhtyamov of Ak Bars and Dmitry Lozebnikov of Amur celebrated their first KHL shut-outs on Tuesday. However, neither could get to the first intermission with that run intact. Lozebnikov was beaten first, after he failed to read a bounce off the boards and saw Dmitry Katelevsky beat him from the slot after two minutes. However, Amur responded strongly to force two power plays before tying the scores. Alexander Shchemerov was the scorer with a long-range effort in the 13^th minute, after the teams returned to full strength.

In the closing minutes of the frame, Ak Bars opened a 3-1 lead. Ilya Safonov scored on a delayed penalty, then Alexander Radulov extended the advantage shortly after another power play for the visitor came to an end.

A two-goal deficit was harsh on Amur, which more than held its own for much of the opening frame. However, Ak Bars proved ruthless when it got chances to attack. That was even more vivid in the second period, when the visitor managed just three shots on goal but managed to increase it lead when Dmitrij Jaskin struck on the PP. That also ended Lozebnikov’s evening, bringing Igor Bobkov into the game. At the other end, Akhtyamov was having a busier, but more successful time. Through two periods he made 27 saves as his team led 4-1.

When Nikita Lyamkin potted a fifth at the start of the third period, Amur’s situation looked hopeless. The home team managed something of a fightback, with Evgeny Grachyov scoring twice before the end (one of them shorthanded). But it was never going to be enough to disrupt the visitor, which draws level on points with Metallurg at the top of the Eastern Conference.

Kristof stars in shoot-out as Sochi ends skid

Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk 2 HC Sochi  SO (1-0, 1-1, 0-1, 0-0, 0-1)

After a flying start to the season, reality is starting to catch up with HC Sochi. The problem is not so much on the ice as off it: success has brought the team’s top players to the attention of bigger clubs, and SKA swooped to take leading scorer Borna Rendulic to Petersburg this week. In response, the Leopards acquired Jeremy Bracco, recently departed from Barys. However, he was not available for today’s game and attacking prodigy Matvei Michkov also missed out.

For Neftekhimik, this game was a chance to build on last night’s 3-0 win over Vityaz. The Wolves also saw a leading player move to SKA – Andrei Chivilyov was the subject of a bid from Petersburg – but saw goalie Filipp Dolganov get his first shut-out in the KHL to secure yesterday’s success. He continued in goal today.

The home team made a good start, with Alexander Dergachyov opening the scoring in the fourth minute. After that, the teams were evenly matched and it remained 1-0 until the first break.

There were times in the second stanza when Sochi looked to be getting on top, and that helped the visitor tie the scores through Artyom Volkov on 37:44. A tie at the second intermission felt like a fair reflection of the game, but Neftekhimik had other ideas and Anthony Camara restored the home lead moments before the hooter.

It took just five minutes of the third period for Sochi to draw level once more. Danila Galenyuk, one of the many players who came to the club from SKA in recent years, got the tying goal. After that, the visitor went on to enjoy much the better of the session, outshooting Neftekhimik 15-8 and spending 6:40 on offense against 2:31. However, Dolganov stood firm in the home net to take the game to overtime.

The extras brought few chances – just one save for each goalie to make – and the shoot-out went to Sochi. Michal Kristof was the visitor’s last shooter in the first phase, and he converted his attempt to keep his team in the game. Then, in the first round of sudden death, he saw Mikhail Berdin deny Netekhimik’s top scorer Andrei Belozyorov before finding the net again to settle the outcome.