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Amur back in top eight; Minsk, Ak Bars clinch playoffs. February 13 round-up
The Eastern playoff race may have taken a decisive turn. Amur started the day with a 5-3 win over Traktor to climb to eighth. Neftekhimik had the chance to immediately regain its position, but lost at Ak Bars to remain in ninth. At the top of the Eastern Conference, Avangard fell to a 2-7 loss at Salavat Yulaev and missed the chance to move into first place. In the West, all eight playoff places are now filled after Dinamo Minsk’s win at Vityaz confirmed eighth place. Among the leaders, Dynamo Moscow won in, while SKA consolidated its position with a narrow victory over Lada. Tuesday’s other action brought wins for Admiral and CSKA.
Advantage Amur in playoff race
Amur Khabarovsk 5 Traktor Chelyabinsk 3 (3-2, 0-0, 2-1)
The Tigers edged into eighth place in the East as the battle for the playoffs goes into its final fortnight. A 5-3 victory at home to Traktor, coupled with Neftekhimik’s loss at Ak Bars, gives Amur the edge – but only by virtue of more wins in regulation.
Amur got off to a great start today, winning a face-off in its own zone and galloping down the ice for Vladislav Barulin to score after 31 seconds. That was his 15th goal of the season.
Traktor struggled to find its attacking rhythm early on, not helped by the absence of Semyon Der-Arguchintsev after his injury against Ak Bars. Nonetheless, the visitor drew level in the eighth minute when Nikita Soshnikov scored on Igor Bobkov. That ended the goalie’s shut-out streak after 139 minutes, 23 seconds. Two minutes later, Bobkov was beaten again by an Albert Yarullin slap shot to put Traktor up 2-1.
The goals kept coming. Within a minute, it was 2-2 when Stanislav Bocharov and Yegor Korshkov got on the rush. Korshkov finished the play to join Barulin on 15 goals, and also brought up his 40th point of the season. Then the home team killed a double penalty before Alexander Khokhlachyov restored the lead in the 15th minute.
After a goal rush in the first period, there was no repeat in the second. Both teams had plenty of chances, with Barulin especially dangerous. However, neither team could find the net.
Early in the third, Barulin got his third point of the game with an assist as Viktor Baldayev made it 4-2. After that, the home team played more cautiously but hopes of quietly closing out the game were disrupted midway through the session when Maxim Shabanov got it back to 3-4. That was Shabanov’s 50th point of the season for Traktor.
The visitor scented a fightback, but after going 54 minutes without taking a penalty Alexander Rykov incurred the wrath of the officials at the worst possible moment. His cross-check handed the momentum to Amur and Dmitry Shevchenko’s power play goal made the game safe for the home team.
Sailors on top in basement battle
Admiral Vladivostok 4 Barys Astana 2 (1-0, 1-2, 2-0)
These two teams are out of playoff contention, but both are keen to avoid finishing in last place in the Eastern Conference. The pair played the first of two scheduled meetings, and Admiral took the verdict to open a five-point gap over Barys.
The Kazakhs have struggled for much of the season and arrived on the back of a 10-game losing streak. That seems to have undermined the team’s confidence, particularly in front of goal. Despite plenty of possession and several good scoring chances, the visitor could not get in front in the opening frame and allowed Dmitry Buchelnikov to send Admiral into the intermission with a 1-0 lead.
Barys recovered at the start of the second period. Daniil Apalkov tied the game quickly then Joey LaBate made it 2-1 five minutes later when he converted the rebound from an Anthony Camara shot. Admiral had a good chance to tie the game on the power play, but eventually made it 2-2 just before the second break when Giovanni Fiore reacted fastest to a rebound in front of the net and stuck the puck past Andrei Shutov.
In the final frame, the home team took control, outshooting Barys 19-11. However, it took time to turn that into the necessary goals: Alexei Solovyov grabbed the game-winner in the 57th minute, then Leonid Metalnikov, once a Barys player, found the empty net to wrap up the verdict.
Gusev settles hard-fought clash
Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg 1 Dynamo Moscow 2 OT (1-0, 0-0, 0-1, 0-1)
Dynamo got a second overtime win in successive games, defeating Avtomobilist two days after winning in Magnitogorsk. The Blue-and-Whites did without Jordan Weal, who picked up an injury against Metallurg.
The home team enjoyed a week’s rest in preparation but had to cope with the absence of Nick Ebert. The American defenseman was taken ill and could not feature today.
In the early stages, the home offense struggled to break through center ice as Dynamo set up a strong defense. Gradually, the Motormen got into more dangerous positions and the opening goal went to Jesse Blacker when his point shot flashed past Maxim Motorygin.
That sixth-minute marker separated the teams until early in the third period. Dynamo had more chances, but often Avtomobilist’s opportunities were more dangerous in a low-scoring game. However, the home team played increasingly defensive hockey and was caught out in the 48th minute when Andrei Mironov took matters into his own hands with an individual rush that punished some passive play before he found the top corner of Vladimir Galkin’s net.
The game went to overtime, and the deciding goal was created by Nikita Gusev. This season’s scoring leader settled the outcome with another piece of individual skill.
Third-period flourish finishes off Avangard
Salavat Yulaev Ufa 7 Avangard Omsk 2 (2-1, 1-1, 4-0)
The Hawks came to Ufa looking for a win that would lift them to the top of the Eastern Conference standings. Instead, they left on the wrong end of a heavy loss against a Salavat Yulaev team that could claim top spot for itself.
It might have gone very differently, though, if Avangard had built on a good start. Nikolai Prokhorkin opened the scoring in the fourth minute with an unstoppable shot past Alexander Samonov. After scoring seven on Sibir in the previous game, there was plenty of confidence in the visiting team, but Salavat Yulaev quickly found a response. Defenseman Nicolas Meloche joined the attack and fired in a shot that Ivan Drozdov redirected into the net. Reassured by a rapid response, Ufa continued to press and leading scorer Alexander Chmelevski went around the back of the net on his way to making it 2-1.
Late in the opening frame, Avangard had a four-minute power play and Reid Boucher posed plenty of questions for the home defense. However, the PK did its job. Not only did Salavat take a lead to the intermission, it quickly increased the advantage after the break thanks to Alexander Sharov.
However, that 3-1 lead did not last. The home offense spurned good chances to get further in front, and Avangard pulled one back when Prokhorkin’s shot rebounded for Ivan Igumnov to score from close range.
With a one-goal game at the start of the third, this should have been a tight finish. Instead, though, Salavat Yulaev took the game away from the visitor to win at a canter. Grigory Panin potted a fourth, then two goals in 11 seconds left Avangard with too much to do. Yaroslav Tsulygin and Panin’s second of the game killed the contest before Danil Bashkirov’s last-second power play goal rubbed salt into Omsk wounds.
Kazan confirms playoff spot
Ak Bars Kazan 3 Neftekhimik Nizhenkamsk 0 (1-0, 2-0, 0-0)
With Neftekhimik needing points to stay in eighth place in the East, Ak Bars was not the ideal opponent. Although the first Tatarstan derby of the season went to the Wolves, the last two meetings between the teams ended in shut-out wins for Kazan.
Today, once again, strong goaltending from Timur Bilyalov played a big role in securing an Ak Bars win. Neftekhimik had attacking possession and outshot the host throughout the game, but could not find the net. Bilyalov finished with 35 saves as Ak Bars got a win that guarantees its playoff place.
At the other end, Ak Bars were more clinical. Semyon Koshelev’s ninth-minute goal separated the teams after an evenly-matched first period. Then, in the middle frame, the home team scored twice off seven shots at Artyom Zagidulin’s net. Alexander Radulov doubled the lead in the 23rd minute before a power play goal saw Ilya Safonov make it 3-0.
There was no further scoring in the third period. Neftekhimik continued to have more of the game, but struggled to make much impression on the home defense as Bilyalov completed his shut-out.
Dinamo completes Western playoff line-up
Vityaz Moscow Region 2 Dinamo Minsk 3 (1-1, 0-2, 1-0)
Dinamo clinched its playoff place thanks to victory on the road at rock-bottom Vityaz. The Bison knew that victory in any of its last six games would end the theoretically possibility of Kunlun Red Star stealing eighth place, and got the job done in Balashikha.
Dmitry Kvartalnov’s team has not exactly roared into post season, though, losing four of its last six games. And today, once again, things were not entirely straightforward. Despite a disappointing season, Vityaz managed to open the scoring here thanks to Alexander Daryin’s goal in the 14th minute. However, it wasn’t long before Dinamo got the first power play of the night, and Nick Merkley needed just four seconds to convert that and tie the game. Alexander Volkov, a goalscorer in his last three games, assisted on that one.
Minsk took the game away in the second period. Roman Gorbunov made it 2-1 in the 26th minute, and late in the session Dmitry Korobov added a third. Gorbunov then missed a penalty shot just before the second intermission.
At the start of the second period, Alexander Yaremchuk pulled a goal back for Vityaz. However, Dinamo closed out the rest of the game to take the win and secure that top-eight finish. As a result, all eight post season contenders from the Western Conference are now known.
CSKA beats bogey team
Kunlun Red Star 2 CSKA Moscow 4 (1-1, 0-0, 1-3)
The Dragons are something of a bogey team for CSKA, at least in Mytishchi. The past three meetings here all went beyond 60 minutes, and all ended in a home victory. This time, the visitor was buoyed by a 5-1 victory at Vityaz, plus the return of head coach Sergei Fedorov after illness. Meanwhile, the home team had a week’s rest ahead of this game and was looking to finish the season strongly even if its playoff hopes were effectively gone.
The first-period action all happened after Andrei Svetlakov took a tripping penalty in the 12th minute. CSKA was unruffled at first, and Maxim Mamin opened the scoring with a short-handed goal. However, as the PP continued, Brandon McMillan tied the game.
CSKA shaded the first period, but the second saw Red Star get on top. The home team survived an early scare when Svetlakov hit the post, but saw some big chances on the power play for McMillan, Spencer Foo and Tyler Graovac. Late in the session, the visitor woke up and fired a flurry of shots at Jeremy Smith in the home net but could not find a way through.
The visitor did get back in front early in the third period, thanks to a goal from Maxim Sorkin. That play was assisted by Nikita Nesterov and Konstantin Okulov. The same pair combined late in the game to create a power play goal Mikhail Grigorenko to make the game safe. However, there was still time for late excitement. Brandon Yip potted a last-gasp consolation effort for KRS, before CSKA responded with an empty-netter from Svetlakov.
Lada gives SKA a scare on home ice
SKA St. Petersburg 2 Lada Togliatti 1 (1-0, 0-1, 1-0)
After an 8-1 victory over Sochi in its first game at the new SKA Arena, fans in Petersburg had high hopes of a repeat tonight. Lada arrived in town on the back of a four-game skid, while the home team was looking to consolidate its position at the top of the KHL standings.
SKA made a lively start to the game and was good value for its eighth-minute lead. Andrei Pedan’s point shot was stopped by Vladislav Podyapolsky, but the former SKA man could do nothing when Nikolai Polyakov got to the rebound. Lada managed to create a few chances as the first period went on, but apart from a one-on-one opportunity for Mikhail Fisenko, there was little to suggest that the visitor could find a way back into the game.
The second period began with a major penalty for Lada’s Vladislav Syomin. He felled Alex Galchenyuk with a big hit, sending the SKA forward to the locker room. A video review sent Syomin to the box for five minutes for interference. However, Stepan Falkovsky evened up the teams almost immediately after a high sticking offense. The officials remained busy, and after Falkovsky returned, Lada’s Andrei Altybarmakyan went to the box. SKA had a five-on-three advantage, and Arseny Gritsyuk was close to doubling the lead with a shot against the post.
However, Lada held on and got to the midway point in the game with only one goal to recover – and no more penalties to serve. The tying goal came from Nikita Popugayev in the 33rd minute. Initially, an error from Sergei Tolchinsky presented the visiting forward with a chance. That went begging, but the play continued and when Pavel Kulikov got the puck back to Popugayev he needed no second invitation.
The visitor continued to frustrate in the third, but the resistance was broken when Mikhail Fisenko went to the box in the 55th minute. SKA converted the power play, Mikhail Vorobyov getting the vital goal. However, it still wasn’t plain sailing: a minute later Popugayev almost had his second of the night, but the crossbar saved the home team.
