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Belozyorov wins it for Neftekhimik. December 29 round-up
Friday’s only KHL game brought plenty of incident as Admiral and Neftekhimik played the first of two New Year meetings. Both teams are looking to force their way into playoff contention in the East, with the home team two points behind 10th-placed Neftekhimik before the game.
Admiral Vladivostok 3 Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk 3 (1-0, 2-2, 0-2)
However, Admiral enjoyed the better form of the two, alternating wins and losses in its last six games. The visitor had just one victory in its last 11 games, and suffered two losses at Amur earlier in the week.
There was little to choose between the teams in the first period. Not even an Admiral power play could establish a significant advantage for the home team. However, 12 seconds before the intermission, the Sailors broke the deadlock thanks to a goal from Dmitry Buchelnikov.
Early in the second, Admiral doubled its lead thanks to Alexander Shevchenko. However, Neftekhimik quickly replied when debutant Yegor Korbit grabbed his first KHL goal. The 23-year-old forward was previously with Rostov in the VHL this season. Another Admiral power play proved more effective, and the home team regained its two-goal advantage when Pavel Shen snapped his 12-game goal drought to make it 3-1 after 28 minutes.
After that, though, Neftekhimik began to gain control of the game. The visitor’s first power play saw Nikita Setdikov reduce the arrears late in the second period. Then Andrei Belozyorov turned things around completely with two goals in the three minutes. His first came on 46:48, banging home a Setdikov feed at the back door. Then, on 49:20, he put the Wolves in front for the first time in the game with a wrister from the left-hand circle. The Admiral bench challenged the play, citing interference on goalie Sergei Ivanov, but the video review upheld the on-ice decision and left the home team on the PK.
Admiral killed that penalty, but could not find a way back into the game. Belozyorov’s brace gave Neftekhimik the win, and a psychological lift ahead of tomorrow’s return fixture.
