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2023 ends with a bang. December 30 round-up
Metallurg and Avangard finished the year on a high note at the top of the Eastern Conference. The table-topping Steelmen came from behind to beat Kunlun 4-1, while two new signings got their first goals for the Hawks in a 2-1 victory at Lada. Ak Bars also had a good day, edging the Green Derby against Salavat Yulaev. In the West, Spartak blew a big lead to lose in OT at Vityaz, while Lokomotiv climbed to second after blanking Dynamo in Yaroslavl. SKA closed on the leaders with a big win over Avtomobilist. While its Moscow rivals struggled, CSKA ended a five-game losing streak with a 3-1 verdict over Severstal.
Elsewhere, Dinamo Minsk snapped a four-game skid with a 7-4 win at Sochi, Barys posted a third successive victory and Neftekhimik finished the year with back-to-back wins at Admiral.
Belozyorov enjoys a second double
Admiral Vladivostok 2 Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk 5 (1-1, 1-2, 0-2)
Andrei Belozyorov seems to like playing in Vladivostok. For the second time in two days, the Neftekhimik forward scored twice to lead his team to victory.
In yesterday’s game, Belozyorov struck twice in the third period to complete a comeback win. Today, Admiral again took the lead. Daniil Gutik converted the first power play of the day with a well-placed point shot in the fifth minute. However, Neftekhimik responded fast and Jean-Sebastien Dea tied it up with his first goal since joining the Wolves from Metallurg.
In the second period, Gutik once again put the home team in front. And once again, Neftekhimik responded. Belozyorov scored twice, both on the power play, to turn the game around. The Wolves had the lead, and would not let it slip.
Admiral needed a fast start to the third, but instead fell further behind. Grigory Seleznyov squeezed in an unexpected shot from a dead angle to make it 4-2. Then yet another power play put the game out of reach as Dmitry Sokolov added a fifth.
Five-star Barys wins again
Barys Astana 5 Traktor Chelyabinsk 1 (3-0, 1-0, 1-1)
2023 did not go all that well for Barys, but there are signs that 2024 might be happier. The Kazakhs signed off for the calendar year with a second successive 5-1 victory and now have three wins in a row under acting head coach Oleg Bolyakin.
Traktor arrived in good form, and was boosted by the return of leading goalscorer Maxim Shabanov, who missed the 3-0 win at Sibir in the previous game. Sergei Mylnikov took over from Zach Fucale in goal but had a difficult time in the first period.
Barys took the lead in the ninth minute on a short-handed goal from Arkady Shestakov. That all stemmed from a breakdown in communication between Mylnikov and his team-mates, which saw Pontus Aberg intercept the puck and create the chance. An unsuccessful bench challenge presented Barys with a power play chance, and David Sklenicka’s powerful shot sent the puck roaring into the net to add to Traktor’s troubles. In the 17th minute, Anthony Camara fired in a shot that deflected off Rudolf Cerveny to make it 3-0. Camara and Sklenicka both extended their productive runs to six games, Mylnikov was replaced by Fucale at the intermission.
Camara’s good form continued early in the second period when he converted a five-on-three power play to make it 4-0. Subsequently, the game was littered with penalties. Traktor failed to convert two chances in the middle session, but did score on one of five PPs in the final frame. Nikita Soshnikov potted that consolation goal, but Shestakov had the final word to make it 5-1 in the 52nd minute.
Magnitka tops the Eastern Conference
Metallurg Magnitogorsk 4 Kunlun Red Star 1 (0-1, 3-0, 1-0)
A strong second period saw Metallurg past a spirited Kunlun Red Star, ensuring the Steelmen lead the Eastern Conference going into the New Year break. The Dragons outshot Magnitka 47-30, including a dominant 20-8 tally in the third period. However, Ilya Nabokov had 46 saves to backstop the win.
Despite losing its previous four games, the visitor had the better of the first period. Solid defense restricted Metallurg to the perimeter, while Red Star frequently got pucks to the net. The reward came in the 17th minute when captain Brandon Yip whipped in a one-timer off Spencer Foo’s feed.
It all changed after the intermission. Alexander Petunin tied it up on his team’s first power play of the night, then made it 2-1 with another PP goal midway through the frame. Within a minute, Nikita Grebyonkin added a third and it seemed that Metallurg had control.
Kunlun saw it differently. The visitor blazed into action in the third period, peppering Nabokov with shots. The young goalie stood up well, making big saves to deny Foo and Austin Wong. He also enjoyed some fortune as the game entered the closing stages: Ryan Merkley and Luke Lockhart both saw shots rebound off the post. In the final seconds, Pavel Akolzin’s empty-net goal completed the scoring.
Ak Bars Kazan 3 Salavat Yulaev Ufa 2 (2-0, 0-0, 1-2)
It hasn’t been the happiest of endings to 2023 in Kazan, but a Green Derby win in the final game before the New Year break put smiles back on Ak Bars’ faces today. The latest instalment of this long-standing rivalry was a great chance for Zinetula Bilyaletdinov’s team to make amends for a disappointing 1-4 loss at home to Metallurg last time out.
The home roster had significant changes. Leaders Vadim Shipachyov and Alexander Radulov returned to the line-up and formed a new line with recent signing Semyon Koshelev. In addition, Dmitry Yudin missed out due to injury, Kirill Adamchuk was scratched after a poor performance against Metallurg and Nikita Lyamkin returned to the defense.
The visitor arrived in Kazan in third place in the East, buoyed by wins over CSKA and Sochi. Alexander Samonov returned as starting goalie for the derby, Nicholas Meloche replaced Grigory Panin on defense and forwards Matvei Guskov, Alexei Pustozyorov an Artyom Pimenov missed out.
After its recent struggles, the home team looked for a strong start – and found it. Slava Voynov twice tested Samonov in one of his first shifts, and Ufa was pushed back from the start. The pressure paid off: Dmitry Katelevsky won himself some space on the slot and got a tip on Mitchell Miller’s shot to open the scoring. Going behind gave Salavat Yulaev a jolt and immediately after allowing the goal, the visitor produced its first meaningful attacks. Ivan Drozdov spurned a great chance to tie the game and soon afterwards Katelevsky punished that miss with a second goal from only his second shot of the game.
In response, Salavat Yulaev tried to raise the tempo at the start of the second period. However, despite a couple of decent looks, including a good chance for Danil Alalykin, there was little sign of a fightback. Indeed, the big moment of the middle frame saw Samonov pull off a spectacular save to deny Koshelev a goal on his Ak Bars debut.
At the start of the third period, Josh Leivo pulled a goal back for Salavat Yulaev and brought the game back to life. For a long time, the play was end-to-end; Ak Bars seeking a knock-out blow, while Ufa looked to level the scores. The helter-skelter play continued until Lyamkin’s point shot made it 3-1 for the home team in the 55th minute. That proved to be the winning goal, but only after Drozdov got a second for Salavat in closing moments. Ak Bars had to survive a nervous finale to close out the derby win.
Spartak blows 4-1 lead, loses in OT
Vityaz Moscow Region 5 Spartak Moscow 4 OT (1-2, 1-2, 2-0, 1-0)
Vityaz grabbed a thrilling comeback win over table-topping Spartak to finish 2023 on a high note. The home team trailed 1-4 after 25 minutes, but hit back in the third and got the verdict in overtime.
For Spartak, it was a game that showed both the offensive power that has taken it to the top of the standings. However, it also the featured defensive lapses that continue to cast doubt over the team’s ability to maintain a push deep into the playoffs.
Maxim Tsyplakov got things started for the visitor, opening the scoring on 1:16. Tsyplakov’s goal against Dinamo Minsk in the previous game took him to 20 for the season. With Nikolai Goldobin and Pavel Poryadin also reaching the 20-goal mark, it’s the first time in the KHL era that Spartak has had three such prolific scorers on the team. Early in the second period, Tsyplakov got his second of the game, this time a short-handed effort.
In between those Tsyplakov goals, the teams traded markers. Dmitry Vishnevsky increased the visitor’s lead in the ninth minute before Scott Wilson’s power play effort gave Vityaz hope of recovery.
Those hopes seemed to be quickly extinguished after the break. Tsyplakov restored the two-goal advantage, then Ansel Galimov added a fourth in the 25th minute. However, a goal from Alexander Yaremchuk close to the second intermission offered a way back for the host.
A pair of quick goals early in the third hauled Vityaz level. Barely two minutes separated efforts from Vladislav Tsitsyura and Ruslan Pedan. Spartak was forced to reconsider how a game that seemed to be won had got away, but could not reignite its offense in regulation.
The extras saw the visitor dominate play. Vityaz was pegged back into its zone, and managed just 17 seconds of attacking possession. However, that was enough to win the game. In the final minute, Dmitry Shikin’s save triggered a counterattack that ended with Ivan Savchik completing an impressive recovery.
New faces lift Avangard to victory
Lada Togliatti 1 Avangard Omsk 2 (1-1, 0-1, 0-0)
Avangard secured second place in the East ahead of the New Year break, while Lada’s defeat cost it the chance to move ahead of Salavat Yulaev into third. The visitor handed a debut to Damir Zhafyarov, whose unhappy time at Ak Bars came to an end on deadline day. He slotted into the top line alongside Reid Boucher and Ryan Spooner. Another recent acquisition, Nikolai Prokhorkin, made his second appearance since joining from Sibir.
Lada, boosted by wins over high-flying Metallurg and Dynamo, made just one change. Alexei Volgin replaced Vladislav Syomin on the second defensive pairing.
The visitor made the better start and there were good chances for Prokhorkin and Ivan Telegin to open the scoring early on. Then Zhafyarov got a goal nine minutes into his Avangard debut. Spooner dished off the puck to Boucher in the center, Vladislav Podyapolsky stopped the shot but Zhafyarov was first to react to the rebound.
Lada responded with a tying goal three minutes later. An extended spell of pressure culminated in Andrei Altybarmakyan using his skills to find the net. The score remained level until the intermission.
After the break, Lada tried to force the tempo, only to be hit on the counterattack. Prokhorkin took the puck from Mislav Rosandic and advanced on Podyapolsky to score. However, as the Avangard forward celebrated, home head coach Oleg Bratash challenged the play and the goal was whistled off. Prokhorkin and Rosandic clashed again, leading to a power play for the home team. However, the Hawks’ PK was solid.
In the 36th minute, Prokhorkin got his first goal for Avangard. He converted a power play after Yegor Babenko’s foul, firing home Semyon Chistyakov’s pass to restore the visitor’s lead. Lada tried to find a quick response and got on the power play before the second intermission. This time, Lada looked more dangerous with the extra man but could not find a way past Ilya Proskuryakov.
In the third period, Boucher missed a good early chance. Then, at the other end, Maxim Berezin thought he had the goal at his mercy, only to be denied by a desperate foul from Spooner. A third home power play was unsuccessful and Avangard moved to close out the final stages.
Isayev, Polunin take Loko past Dynamo
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 2 Dynamo Moscow 0 (2-0, 0-0, 0-0)
Lokomotiv climbed to second in the Western Conference after inflicting a third successive defeat on Dynamo. Two first-period goals from Alexander Polunin set the Railwaymen on the path to victory. Igor Nikitin’s team now has eight wins from its last nine games, finishing 2023 in fine style.
Polunin opened the scoring in the first minute. Loko won a face-off in center ice, Polunin got the puck and advanced on the Dynamo net. Ilya Konovalov had a good view of the shot as it came in, but could do nothing to stop it and the home team was in front after 18 seconds.
Dynamo almost found an instant response when youngster Igor Chernyshov went one-on-one with Daniil Isayev. However, the home goalie made the save to preserve his team’s early lead. The visitor continued to have the better of the game, only to be caught on the counter midway through the first period. This time Polunin fired in a shot that Konovalov could only pad away. The forward was first to the rebound for his second of the game.
The two-goal lead was not an entirely fair reflection of Dynamo’s performance. However, it said much about the goaltending on display. Isayev maintained his consistent form to keep the visitor at bay, while Konovalov could be questioned about both the goals he allowed. In the second period, neither goalie was beaten, and the home defense put in a big shift to limit Dynamo’s chances of getting back into the game. Ten blocked shots in the middle frame protected Isayev’s net and frustrated the Muscovites.
In the end, Isayev delivered his third shut-out of the season, stopping 41 shots. His team-mates blocked a further 29 as Dynamo endured a frustrating evening. Worryingly for the Blue-and-Whites, this was a second successive game without scoring and the defeat sees Dynamo yield second place in the standings to Lokomotiv.
Dinamo snaps skid, Sochi goes a month without winning
HC Sochi 4 Dinamo Minsk 7 (2-3, 0-1, 2-3)
Both these teams came into the game on a losing streak. Dinamo suffered four successive reverses after beating Vityaz 4-1 on Dec. 19. Sochi, meanwhile, was looking to escape a 10th consecutive defeat and claim its first win in December on the month’s final gameday.
The early exchanges strongly favored the visitor. Sam Anas opened the scoring after 31 seconds and Daniil Lipsky doubled that lead in the seventh minute. That was the 19-year-old’s first goal of the season.
However, Sochi recovered in the latter half of the opening frame. Artur Tyanulin and Timur Khafizov both scored for the home team, and it was only Alexander Volkov’s effort that kept the Belarusians ahead at the break.
In the second period Anas got his second of the game. The American forward also had an assist on Volkov’s marker and moved to 30 (14+16) points for the season. Anas will begin 2024 looking to extend a seven-game hot streak. That was the only goal of the middle frame as Dinamo looked to calm things down and close out the win.
Sochi had other ideas. The Leopards grabbed a goal at the start of the third through Danila Galenyuk’s power play effort and the game was back in the balance. Dinamo continued to hit penalty trouble, and with Sochi enjoying a five-on-three power play, Michal Kristof tied the game in the 48th minute. It seemed that there was a real chance the home team could end its month-long skid. However, the Bison recovered to score two goals in eight seconds. Vladislav Kodola restored the lead, then Volkov got his second to make it 6-4 in the 51st minute and build an advantage that Sochi could not erode. Sergei Kuznetsov’s empty-net goal completed the scoring.
CSKA gets first win in six
CSKA Moscow 3 Severstal Cherepovets 1 (1-0, 1-1, 1-0)
The defending champion finished 2023 with a win that keeps it in sixth place in the Western Conference. Today’s opponent, Severstal, could have overtaken CSKA with victory in regulation, but an enterprising performance suffered from poor finishing.
There wasn’t much between the teams in the opening session. Severstal had the first big opportunity when it got the only power play of the period, but CSKA killed that penalty. Then, back at full strength, the home team went in front through Mikhail Grigorenko in the 11th minute.
Going in front offered some belief to a home team that had lost its previous five games. CSKA held the advantage to the intermission and looked more assured after the break. Severstal ran into penalty trouble and, while the home power play could not break through the pressure grew on Dmitry Shugayev’s net. Midway through the second, Maxim Mamin doubled the lead and things looked straightforward for CSKA.
However, when Anton Slepyshev sat for slashing in the 36th minute, Severstal saw a way back. Yegor Stepanov grabbed the chance, converting the power play to make it a one-goal game once again. The third period was poised to be a test of nerve for a CSKA team low on confidence.
Unsurprisingly, Severstal tried to seize the initiative from the start. The visitor played on the front foot and worked hard to create chances to tie the game. However, CSKA scored on its first shot of the session when Vladislav Provolnev made it 3-1. The home team’s second shot also found the net, but this time video review called back the play due to a high stick as the puck was deflected past Shugayev. That call kept the game alive, but time was beginning to get away from the Steelmen.
Severstal kept knocking on the door in the closing stages, and even played six-on-four hockey in the last couple of minutes after a penalty on Sergei Plotnikov. But there was no way back for Andrei Kozyrev’s team as CSKA closed out a morale-boosting win.
Ruthless finishing puts SKA on top
SKA St. Petersburg 4 Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg 0 (4-0, 0-0, 0-0)
A powerful first period saw SKA to victory over Avtomobilist. The home team hit four unanswered goals, taking the game away from the Motormen and moving to within five points of Spartak at the top of the standings. The result was revenge for a shoot-out loss in Yekaterinburg earlier in the month.
The first period was impressive. SKA scored four goals off 10 shots on target, putting two past each of Avto’s netminders. Vladimir Galkin started the game, but was beaten by Marat Khairullin after four minutes and Vasily Glotov after 11. That brought Evgeny Alikin into the game, and Glotov almost immediately demonstrated that he could score on this goalie too. In the final minute, Arseny Gritsyuk added a fourth.
Despite the scoreline, there wasn’t much wrong with the visitor’s game in the first period. Avtomobilist had a good share of possession, made more interceptions and hits, and had more goal attempts. SKA’s finishing proved to be deadly, and that gave the home team a big lead to protect as the game progressed.
In the third period, Pavel Moisevich went into the SKA goal. The decision denied Nikita Serebryakov a potential shut-out, but gave more top-level game time to one of the club’s prospects. The 19-year-old did nothing wrong during his time in the game, stopping six shots to help close out the win.
