Fateyev inspires CSKA, Dinamo snaps Severstal’s streak. November 10 round-up

Two goals from Yegor Fateyev led CSKA to a 4-1 win over Lada in a game dominated by hard work on the slot from the home team. That result ended a four-game winning run for the visitor, while Severstal saw it’s seven-game streak halted at Dinamo Minsk. Sunday’s other action brought a 5-1 win for Spartak at Kunlun Red Star.

Fateyev’s double paces CSKA win

CSKA Moscow 4 Lada Togliatti 1 (0-0, 3-1, 1-0)

Lada’s four-game winning streak came to an end in Moscow as CSKA bounced back from a derby loss at home to Spartak. Ilya Vorobyov’s team has four wins from its last five, but remains sixth in the Western Conference.

Eager to atone for its derby defeat the home side dominated the first period. An evident territorial advantage translated into a 19-6 shot count in CSKA’s favor, but no goals as Vladislav Podyapolsky performed strongly in the Lada net.

The breakthrough had to wait until the 29th minute when Yegor Fateyev’s one-timer opened the scoring. Immediately after that, Fredrik Claesson and Artyom Ivanyuzhenkov came to blows, with the visiting forward coming out on top in that bout. But it was CSKA on top when it came to playing hockey. Podyapolsky denied a solo rush from Ivan Drozdov, but could do nothing when Vladislav Kamenev got to the rebound first.

The Motormen halved the deficit on a goal from Dmitry Kugryshev, familiar in these parts from his time with CSKA. But just before the intermission Maxim Mamin marked his 500th KHL game with a shot that was too hot for Podyapolsky to hold. Once again, smart reactions on the slot brought a goal for Fateyev as the home offense showed a willingness to go where it hurts in search of goals.

Podyapolsky did not return for the third period, with Alexander Trushkov taking over. He allowed one further goal, in now familiar fashion, as a Ruslan Iskhakov shot bounced into the path of former Lada prospect Denis Guryanov to make the final score 4-1.

Spartak tightens grip on second

Kunlun Red Star 1 Spartak Moscow 5 (0-3, 1-1, 0-1)

A fast start in Mytishchi led Spartak to a fifth successive victory, consolidating the Red-and-Whites in second place in the Western Conference. Today’s comfortable win over Red Star puts Alexei Zhamnov’s team three points clear of SKA, while Kunlun remains stuck at the foot of the standings.

Spartak could hardly have wished for a better start. Thirty seconds in, Nail Yakupov’s trip put the visitor on the power play and Pavel Poryadin capitalized to open the scoring. Midway through the first, Alexander Belyayev doubled the lead and it wasn’t long before Danil Pivchulin added a third.

After its first-period struggles, Kunlun had more of the game in the second. But when Spartak got its next power play chance, the visitor potted a fourth through Nikolai Goldobin. Late in the frame, the Dragons got one back through Luke Lockhart, also on the PP, but the outcome was never in serious doubt.

Underlining Spartak’s superiority, Andrei Loktionov made it 5-1 early in the third. The visitor could even afford to miss a penalty shot late on as it comfortably closed out the win.

Severstal’s hot streak ends in Minsk

Dinamo Minsk 3 Severstal Cherepovets 1 (1-1, 2-0, 0-0)

The Belarusians’ grip on a playoff spot got a little tighter after Dinamo halted Severstal’s hot streak. The visitor arrived in Minsk after seven straight win, but could not add to that sequence on Sunday.

Severstal started well enough, opening the scoring midway through the first period on a goal from Timur Mukhanov. The visitor outshot Dinamo 14-8 in that opening frame, but was unable to build a more convincing lead and went to the intermission tied at 1-1. Daniil Sotishvili got the equalizer in the 18th minute.

The second period saw Dinamo dominate. Yegor Borikov scored early and for much of the rest of the session it was one-way traffic. The home team fired 22 shots at Konstantin Shostak and the pressure took its toll. Severstal called a time-out midway through the session, but then ran into penalty trouble as Dinamo’s control bred desperation amid the opposition. Late in the frame a five-on-three power play went without a goal, but after Yanni Kaldis returned to the game Vitaly Pinchuk made it 3-1 during a one-man advantage.

There was no further scoring in the third period. Dinamo played according to the scoreboard and ensured there would be few chances to attack. Severstal managed just four shots on goal, nowhere near enough to threaten a revival.