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Dynamo edges derby thriller, Magnitka stops SKA in OT. January 7 round-up
Sunday’s big games went to overtime. Dynamo recovered from blowing a 2-0 lead to take a 3-2 verdict over Spartak, while Metallurg battled back to win 2-1 at SKA. Ak Bars picked up a 2-1 verdict at home to Avtomobilist, while CSKA withstood a rally from Kunlun to win 4-3. Elsewhere, Dinamo Minsk and Salavat Yulaev hit five, Severstal and Vityaz had solid wins and Lokomotiv remained on top of the standings thanks to victory at Traktor.
Fast start helps Dinamo
Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod 2 Dinamo Minsk 5 (0-2, 1-2, 1-1)
Dinamo picked up an impressive victory on the road at Torpedo, improving to two wins from three after a four-game skid. Torpedo, meanwhile, shows some signs of a stutter: no regulation win in four games, and now two losses from three with only an OT verdict over struggling Kunlun to break up that sequence.
In recent games, Torpedo has suffered from slow starts. Today, Dinamo added to that problem, opening the scoring in the second minute through Daniil Sotishvili. It wasn’t until midway through the first period that the home team lived up to its billing as pre-game favorite. Even then, though, the home PP lacked venom. The clearest opening – a shot that deflected off Igor Larionov Jr. and onto the post – might have seen a tying goal. However, visiting goalie Dylan Ferguson reacted faster than Vladislav Firstov to snuff out the danger. Later, Firstov took a double minor and Andrei Stas’ masterful redirect steered a Sam Anas shot into the net to double the lead.
The home team made a bright start to the second period, but nonetheless found itself down by three after a collective lapse left Nikita Smirnov in solitary splendor to beat Adam Huska from close range. Midway through the second, Alexander Volkov added a fourth, pretty much ending the contest.
Danil Veryayev did his best to keep his team believing, pulling a goal back within 17 seconds. However, Dinamo would not be denied. The third period remained goalless for 17 minutes, and by the time Andrei Belevich scored Torpedo’s second, there was too little time to threaten a genuine fightback. The final word went to Nikita Pyshkailo, who finished the job with an empty-net goal.
Loko stays on top
Traktor Chelyabinsk 1 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 3 (0-0, 0-3, 1-0)
Lokomotiv maintained its position at the top of the pile with victory in Chelyabinsk. Today’s success makes it seven wins from eight for Igor Nikitin’s men, and the only blot on that run was a shoot-out loss as the Railwaymen overhauled Spartak at the top of the standings.
Traktor was also in good form ahead of this game after beating Barys 5-1 last time out. However, neither team began the game with much evident intent to attack. Loko had more of the puck but rarely caused problems for Sergei Mylnikov in the home net. At the other end, Daniil Isayev was no busier until a penalty on Rushan Rafikov handed Traktor the initiative, if not a significant advantage in the game.
In the second period, things changed fast. Lokomotiv began to skate better, apparently recovering from its exertions in St. Petersburg in the previous game. An early goal, created by a neat interchange from the first line, saw Maxim Shalunov open the scoring against his hometown team. That gave Lokomotiv the lift it was looking for. The visitor generated more pressure and Traktor found it hard to resist. A second goal soon followed, Alexander Polunin redirecting Dmitry Simashev’s shot into the net. Then Shalunov got his second of the afternoon to establish a commanding 3-0 lead.
As we’ve seen so often this season, Lokomotiv is not a team likely to blow a winning position. In the third period here, the Railwaymen played a strong third period. Deciding that attack was the best form of defense, the visitor continued to create chances and in the first 10 minutes or so, Traktor rarely got close to Isayev’s net. Gradually, that began to change. However, even as it pushed to save the game, the home team could do no more than grab a consolation goal on the power play through Maxim Shabanov.
Leivo’s double lifts Salavat Yulaev
Salavat Yulaev Ufa 5 Barys Astana 3 (1-0, 3-1, 1-2)
Two goals from Josh Leivo led Salavat Yulaev to victory over Barys. He struck twice in the second period – including one goal that deflected off a broken stick lying on the ice in front of the Barys net – to set up a home win.
Salavat Yulaev made the better start to the game, but was limited to a single goal in the first period. Yegor Suchkov was the scorer, although Leivo had a decent chance in the opening frame but failed to convert a one-on-one breakaway against visiting goalie Andrei Shutov.
Early in the second, Leivo hit the target, albeit with a bit of help from debris on the ice. He later told his club’s website that it was “probably the easiest goal of my career.” Later, he scored his second of the game, converting a five-on-three power play to make it 3-0. At the other end, Anthony Camara scored his ninth goal in nine games to get Barys on the board, but Artyom Pimenov quickly restored Ufa’s three-goal advantage.
In the final stanza, Barys showed some character to keep the game alive. Samat Daniyar got it back to 2-4, but great work from Alexei Pustozyorov presented Matvei Guskov with a fifth goal for the home team and that effectively settled the contest. Daniil Apalkov scored in the last minute for Barys, but by then it was too late to affect the outcome.
Koshelev’s first goal for Ak Bars
Ak Bars Kazan 2 Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg 1 (1-1, 1-0, 0-0)
This was a third successive victory for Ak Bars, with the Kazan team showing signs of putting its recent uncertain form behind it. However, it was far from straightforward. Avtomobilist led early on and made life tough for its host throughout.
The opening goal came in the fourth minute. A counterattack for the visitor sent Sergei Shirokov down the left, and he picked his moment to place a wrister beyond Timur Bilyalov in the Ak Bars net. Midway through the frame, the home team responded. Riley Barber fired one in from a negative angle and saw it bounce off the goalie’s pad and a defenseman’s skate on its way into the net. That’s the first goal for the former Barys man in over a month.
Late in the second period, Ak Bars got in front. Protracted pressure saw Mitchell Miller fire one against the post. The puck dropped behind goalie Vladimir Galkin and Semyon Koshelev reacted fastest to score his first since arriving from Metallurg. Avtomobilist challenged the play, citing interference on Galkin, but ended up with nothing more than a delay of game minor.
In the third period, Avtomobilist battled hard to find a tying goal. However, it never came. The puck did cross the line in the last seconds, but only after a shove from Nikita Tryamkin’s hand. The attempt did not count and Ak Bars held on for the points.
Sochi still can’t find a win
Severstal Cherepovets 3 HC Sochi 0 (0-0, 1-0, 2-0)
Severstal got its expected win over struggling Sochi. However, it took some time for the Steelmen to solve an opponent that had lost its previous 12 games. The Leopards clearly had a point to prove after suffering a 10-1 humiliation against Severstal earlier in the season and produced a far more competitive performance here.
However, an improved defensive display came at a cost to the visiting offense. With just 18 shots all game, and eight of them in the third period as Sochi chased the game, it was hard to see Alexander Samoilov struggling too much in the home net. The 26-year-old duly recorded his first KHL shut-out in only his third game in the league.
At the other end, Sochi proved hard to break down. Severstal had to wait until deep into the second period before finally getting in front on Kirill Pilipenko’s power play goal. Pilipenko then assisted as Mikhail Ilyin doubled the lead in the 49th minute. That helper moves him to 7 (3+4) points in his last three games as Pilipenko continues to play a huge role in keeping Severstal on course for a playoff spot.
Sochi’s best chance of launching a fightback came midway through the session when Mark Barberio’s penalty gave the visitor a power play. That came to nothing, however, and Nikita Korostelyov had the final word with an empty-net goal.
Wolves maintain winning streak
Vityaz Moscow Region 2 Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk 4 (0-1, 1-1, 1-2)
Dmitry Sokolov’s double strike helped Neftekhimik to a fifth successive victory. The Wolves are now within two places of a playoff spot in the East, while Vityaz suffered another loss and lost ground on Dinamo Minsk in its race in the West.
Sokolov scored the only goal of the first period, putting Neftekhimik ahead in the 17th minute. Vityaz responded early in the second thanks to Ivan Yezhov’s power play tally, but Sokolov struck again to restore the visitor’s lead.
Midway through the third period, German Tochilkin added a third for Neftekhimik and Vityaz looked to have too much work to do. So it proved. Alexander Dergachyov’s empty-net goal extended the lead and a last-minute effort from Vitaly Popov was a mere consolation for the home team.
Spartak fightback ends in OT
Dynamo Moscow 3 Spartak Moscow 2 OT (1-0, 1-0, 0-2, 1-0)
Spartak recovered from 0-2 to take Dynamo to overtime in this battle of the Western Conference high-flyers. However, the home team held its nerve to close out a win in this Moscow derby and make it four points in 24 hours after a busy weekend.
Although the Blue-and-Whites played yesterday, there was little sign of fatigue in a breathless opening frame. Neither team paid much attention to center ice as chances came at both ends. Eric O’Dell got the only goal, converting a power play in the fourth minute, converting a Nikita Gusev pass.
The second period was interrupted by regular penalties for both teams. That helped O’Dell double the lead with another PP effort. However, in the third, Spartak’s forwards got back on it. After creating progressively more dangerous chances, the visitor reduced the deficit on a power play goal from Pavel Poryadin in the 45th minute. Then, late in the game, yet another power play saw Nikolai Goldobin tie it up at 2-2.
At that point, it felt like the momentum and energy might be with the visitor, which was looking for a win to stay level on points with Lokomotiv and Metallurg at the top of the standings. However, overtime saw Dynamo dig deep and grab the win. Cedric Paquette potted the decisive goal to secure a big victory in the race for top spot in the West.
CSKA survives Red Star rally
CSKA Moscow 4 Kunlun Red Star 3 (1-1, 2-0, 1-2)
The defending champion recorded a third successive victory, but was pushed harder than it may have expected by an out-of-form Kunlun. The visitor was playing its second game in 24 hours, and suffered a 1-7 loss on Saturday at Dynamo. Today, though, the Chinese franchise produced a more competitive performance, only to run out of time after making it a one-goal game.
CSKA dominated the first period, outshooting Red Star 17-7 and enjoying almost eight minutes of attacking possession. However, despite taking the lead thanks to Konstantin Okulov in the ninth minute, it could not hold onto that advantage. Devin Brosseau tied the scores within 20 seconds and the teams were level at the intermission.
In the second period it seemed that the Muscovites had settled matters. Okulov got his second, KRS required a bench challenge to whistle back a third, then Nikita Nesterov scored on the power play midway through the session to make it 3-1. When Okulov set up Mikhail Grigorenko to make it 4-1 early in the third, it felt like game over.
Yesterday, the Dragons fell 1-4 behind and collapsed, allowing three more quick goals to suffer an embarrassing loss. Today, Viktors Ignatjevs’ team showed greater character. Tyler Graovac got his first since joining the club on deadline day to keep the visitor interested. It might be a stretch to say that Red Star dominated the closing stages, but it certainly did all it could to continue the fight. Brosseau got his second of the night after Alexander Lazushin went to the bench, but with just 44 seconds left on the clock there wasn’t enough time to conjure an unlikely equalizer.
Geraskin grabs OT winner for Magnitka
SKA St. Petersburg 1 Metallurg Magnitogorsk 2 OT (1-0, 0-0, 0-1, 0-1)
Metallurg rallied to sink SKA in overtime and remain level on points with Lokomotiv at the top of the overall KHL standings. Despite trailing for much of the game, Andrei Razin’s team did what it had to do in the closing stages to secure a significant victory against an in-form rival.
There was much to enjoy in a lively first period. Both teams had good chances and the biggest surprise was that there was only one goal. That went to Ivan Zinchenko, who finished off Arseny Gritsyuk’s counterattack midway through the session. SKA had another effort disallowed after Vasily Glotov impeded Ilya Nabokov in the process of getting the puck over the line.
SKA had chances to build on that lead early in the second. First, a penalty on Nikita Mikhailis gave the home power play an early opportunity to shine. That came to naught, and there was more home frustration when Nabokov’s error behind his own net went unpunished. Nikolai Polyakov was unable to get a shot off fast enough to beat the goalie as he scampered back into position.
The home side outshot Magnitka 18-7 in the second, but could not extend its lead. And that proved costly in the third when Robin Press tied the game after 44 minutes. The Swedish defenseman got the puck on the boards and fired in a shot that beat Pavel Moisevich to his short side. Zinchenko’s efforts to block ended up obscuring his goalie’s view and Metallurg was level.
That Press goal was enough to send the game to overtime. Now Metallurg, for the first time, was able to take the game to SKA. The visitor created a couple of good chances before Igor Geraskin won it with his second goal since joining the club last month.
