Russia-25 wins Kazakhstan Hockey Open. May 3-4 internationals
A big victory over Belarus secures gold for Roman Rotenberg’s team. Artur Tyanulin celebrates a first international goal, and Artemy Pleshkov posts back-to-back shut-outs in Astana.
Russia-25 6 Belarus 0 (1-0, 2-0, 3-0)
The final gameday in Astana pitted Russia-25 and Belarus on a collision course. The two teams had won their games against Kazakhstan, and Saturday’s winner would secure the title.
Russia made some changes to the roster that defeated Kazakhstan 1-0, bringing in defenseman Nikita Kamalov in place of Maxim Fedotov. On offense, Sergei Tolchinsky and Andrei Chivilyov sat it out, making way for Artur Tyanulin and Prokhor Poltapov.
For Belarus, Nikita Zhikharev came into the team as a seventh D, while forwards Nikita Pyshkailo and Miroslav Mikhalyov missed out.
In the first period, a lack of discipline hurt the Belarusians. The first five penalties of the game all went to Dmitry Kvartalnov’s team, and on 17:03 Russia capitalized with a power play goal for Tyanulin. That was the Sochi man’s first international goal, after his most productive KHL season.
Ironically, the next Russian goal came after Vasily Glotov’s foul gave Belarus its first power play of the game: defenseman Artemy Knyazev, who finished the season on loan at Ak Bars from the Winnipeg Jets, potted a shorty at the start of the second period. On 23:05, SKA’s Valentin Zykov made it 3-0, effectively putting the game out of Belarus’s reach.
Although the Belarusians had seen a three-goal lead slip before beating Kazakhstan, there was rarely any sign of a repeat today. Russia blanked the Kazakhs in the opening game, and goalie Artemy Pleshkov continued to defy the opposition.
At the other end, Russia started the third period with another goal flurry. Arseny Gritsyuk made it 4-0 with another power play tally, then CSKA’s Vitaly Abramov struck twice in two minutes to extend the advantage to 6-0.
Russia and Belarus will play three more games next week. The teams are due to meet in Omsk, Tula and Minsk
Kazakhstan 4 Belarus 5 OT (0-3, 2-1, 2-0, 0-1)
Day two of the Kazakhstan Hockey Open produced an epic battle. Belarus jumped to a 3-0 lead over the host nation, only to be pegged back and taken to overtime. A winning goal from Dinamo Minsk’s Vitaly Pinchuk gave the Belarusians the verdict, setting up Saturday’s championship decider against Russia-25.
The start of this game was all about Alexander Skorenov. The Severstal forward plundered a hat-trick in the opening frame to put Belarus in control early on. Skorenov, 24, added to his 37 points in this year’s KHL with a goal after 10 seconds, followed by further tallies on 11:02 and 19:41.
Kazakhstan could not find a response until early in the second, while Kirill Panyukov got the host’s first goal of the tournament. However, Igor Martynov restored the three-goal cushion for Belarus a couple of minutes later, and it seemed that the battle was already over.
However, the Kazakhs did not give up. Midway through the second period, Adil Beketayev’s goal gave some hope to the home team. And the final frame saw veteran Roman Starchenko and experienced defenseman Leonid Metalnikov tie the game at 4-4. The tying goal arrived during a five-on-three power play and, for a time, it seemed that the momentum had swung firmly behind Kazakhstan.
The game went to overtime, and Belarus found the resilience to get back out there and find a winner. It took just 58 seconds for Pinchuk to grab the decisive goal. Kazakhstan finishes without a win in its home tournament – hardly ideal preparation for the start of its World Championship campaign next week.
