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Double overtime. January 4 round-up
There were only two games on Thursday’s KHL card, but both of them went to overtime. First, Torpedo came from behind to defeat Kunlun Red Star 3-2. Then Neftekhimik recovered from 0-2 to take a 4-3 scoreline against Lada.
Yan’s double helps Torpedo past KRS
Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod 3 Kunlun Red Star 2 OT (0-1, 1-1, 1-0, 1-0)
Despite trailing twice, Torpedo rallied to win its first game of the new year. Denis Yan scored twice, and Maxim Letunov potted the OT winner. Kunlun picked up a point for the first time in six games, but the Dragons’ losing streak continues.
The visitor welcomed back fit again forward Cory Kane and made a strong start to the game. Torpedo suffered after losing Vasily Atanasov to injury and, after surviving a few scares, fell behind to Nolan Moyle’s goal in the 15th minute.
After the intermission, Torpedo improved and Yan tied the scores with his first of the game. Red Star replied with a power play goal late in the session, Kyle Wood reinstating the visitor’s lead.
Jeremy Smith was the key man in the third period, making several huge saves as Torpedo piled the pressure onto his net. He was beaten midway through the frame when Yan struck again, this time on the power play. KRS still had a chance to win it, with Gemel Smith forcing Ivan Kulbakov into a fine save.
The game went to overtime, and Torpedo grabbed the winner on a delayed penalty as Letunov found the far corner.
Late show gives Neftekhimik an OT verdict
Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk 4 Lada Togliatti 3 OT (0-1, 2-1, 1-1,1-0)
Neftekhimik left it late to win its opening game of the calendar year. After trailing 0-2 the home team tied it up only to fall behind again the third. But Evgeny Mityakin’s 59th-minute goal forced overtime, and Jean-Sebastien Dea settled the outcome.
Lada had hopes of returning to third place in the Eastern Conference, and made the better start. Troy Josephs got the only goal of the first period, and a short-handed goal from Andrei Altybarmakyan doubled that lead in the 27th minute.
However, after allowing a goal on its power play, Neftekhimik responded with a power play goal. Alexander Dergachyov scored to put the home team right back in the game. Barely a minute later, the scores were tied. Dmitry Sokolov got the Wolves’ second of the evening.
Altybarmakyan scored again right at the start of the third, restoring Lada’s lead. That looked like it might be enough, but a late push from Neftekhimik tied the game. On 57:40, the home team called a time-out and summoned goalie Filipp Dolganov back to the bench. With an extra skater, the Wolves found a tying goal thanks to Mityakin. That forced overtime and a dramatic finish. There were just three seconds left when Lada’s Vladislav Podyapolsky took an interference call. Neftekhimik made the most of its brief power play, with Dea scoring the winner two seconds later.
