Lada back in top eight, Metallurg blanks Barys. November 29 round-up

Alexander Smolin made 21 saves in Metallurg’s 2-0 win over Barys. That’s the 21-year-old's first shut-out in the KHL. Lada’s Vladislav Podyapolsky was close to his second shut-out in as many games, but Kunlun scored on him in the 55th minute in Mytishchi. That couldn’t stop the visitor claiming the win that returns it to the playoff places in the East.

Smolin claims first ever KHL shut-out

Metallurg Magnitogorsk 2 Barys Astana 0 (0-0, 1-0, 1-0)

This was the second meeting in 10 days between these teams. On home ice, Barys grabbed its last victory before a run of three losses. Metallurg, too, suffered defeat in its last game when it went down to Avangard. Andrei Razin made some changes to his team, playing with eight defensemen (Vladislav Yeryomenko was added to the team) and scratching forward Scott Wilson.

There was no scoring in the first period. Alexander Petunin had the puck in the Barys net but it was ruled out after a bench challenge. Nikita Mikhailis, playing against opposition from his native Kazakhstan, clearly impeded Nikita Boyarkin on that play. During the opening frame, the home team outshot its guest, helped by two power plays. At the other end, Alexander Smolin also faced some anxious moments.

The Steelmen made a lively start to the second period. Boyarkin came up with several big saves to keep his team level, while at the other end Smolin also had work to do, particularly to deny Maxim Mukhametov. The opening goal finally arrived in the 26th minute when Yegor Korobkin dished off the puck for Yeryomenko to score. In response, Barys was wasteful on the power play but produced a dangerous moment back at equal strength. Anton Burdasov got a good shot away from the circle, but Smolin made the stop.

At the other end, Metallurg came close to extending the lead late in the frame, spending about three minutes moving the puck around the Barys zone. Control of the play led to dangerous shots and Boyarkin did well to deny a well-placed wrister from Dmitry Silantyev.

In the previous meeting between the teams, Metallurg held a 1-0 lead in the third period, but could not hold on and lost to a pair of late goals. This time, learning from that experience, the home team continued to attack in the final frame. Midway through, there was a reward when Yegor Yakovlev’s shot bounced off Petunin’s skate and into the net. Down by two, Barys upped Smolin’s workload in the closing stages. However, the home goalie was on top and finished with 21 saves to complete his shut-out.

Late strike gives Lada the edge

Kunlun Red Star 1 Lada Togliatti 2 (0-1, 0-0, 1-1)

A late power play goal made the difference in this game. Lada built on its victory at Severstal to end Red Star’s four-game winning streak. The result lifts the Motormen into the Eastern playoff places at Avangard’s expense.

Red Star handed a debut to Joe Duszak, who joined from Severstal last week. The American defenseman had not played since Oct. 13, when he lined up against his new employer in a 0-3 loss.

The Motormen got in front midway through the first period. A swift counter saw Rafael Bikmullin shoot wide of the target, but Alexei Ozhgikhin picked up the play behind the net and stuffed the puck home on the wraparound. That was all that separated the teams in an even first period.

After the break, Vladislav Podyapolsky made a huge pad save to deny Danny O’Regan an equalizer during the first power play of the night. At the other end, Troy Josephs might have had a short-handed goal, but Kyle Keyser read his intentions on a solo rush and made the save.

It was starting to look like Podyapolsky was on his way to a second successive shut-out as the home offense suffered a frustrating evening. However, with five to play the Dragons got on the scoreboard thanks to Ian McCoshen’s point shot. Duszak marked his debut with an assist on that play.

However, there would be no winning start for the new man. Late in the game, Lada got on the power play for only the second time, and Yegor Chernikov’s fifth goal of the season won it for the visitor.