Traktor fights back to take game one
Despite trailing 0-2 to Dynamo Moscow, Traktor recovered to win the opener in this 2025 KHL semi-final series. Vasily Glotov got the winner in the 54th minute to settle an entertaining game in Chelyabinsk.
Weal’s double not enough for Dynamo
Traktor Chelyabinsk 4 Dynamo Moscow 3 (0-1, 1-1, 3-1)
(Traktor leads the series 1-0)
A third-period fightback saw Traktor wipe out Dynamo’s two-goal lead to claim the first game of this Gagarin Cup semi-final series. Despite allowing two goals from Jordan Weal, the home team recovered to lead 3-2 in the third. The Blue-and-Whites tied it up once again, but Vasily Glotov got the winner in the 54th minute.
The teams renewed their playoff rivalry from last season, when Traktor swept Dynamo in the second round. The Muscovites are enjoying their best post-season since lifting the cup in 2013, while Traktor is in the final four for the third time in four seasons.
The home team was the first to threaten. Vladislav Podyapolsky was called into action in the second minute to stop Andrei Svetlakov’s shot, then Logan Day followed up with a long-range effort. And although there were few chances, Dynamo was unable to muster a shot on goal in the first 10 minutes.
Yet the visitor opened the scoring in the 14th minute on a play that started and ended with Weal. He began by winning a four-man battle for possession on the boards and set up Artyom Sergeyev for a shot from the blue line. Zach Fucale was equal to that effort, but Pavel Kudryavtsev scrambled the rebound back into Weal’s path and he converted a follow-up effort from between the hash marks.
After that, the visitor began to show a bit more attacking intent, although scoring chances remained scarce. Dynamo held its lead to the intermission, and snaffled a second goal soon after the restart.
Once again, Weal was the scorer. This time Traktor struggled to clear its lines and Denis Pochivalov’s misplaced attempt to get the puck away went straight to the Canadian. He still had plenty to do but got the foot of the right-hand circle before whipping a shot past Fucale from a tight angle.
After that, things began to go astray for the visitor. Late in the middle frame, Sergei Telegin led a counterattack for Traktor, and Maxim Shabanov picked out Semyon Der-Arguchintsev in front of the net to get the home team on the scoreboard. Glotov went close to tying it up on the wraparound as the break approached and Traktor took that momentum into the third.
The equalizer came on 46:21 when Alexander Kadeikin’s long-range effort got past the unsighted Podyapolsky. And within two minutes, Charles Robinson had the home team in front with a trick shot from behind the net that bounced home off the goalie’s back.
At that point, the game seemed to be heading Traktor’s way. However, a tripping minor for Kadeikin invited Dynamo back into it. Daniil Pylenkov tied it up at 3-3 with a shot from the top of the right-hand circle to set up an intriguing last 10 minutes. However, the host would not be denied. Podyapolsky’s misfortunes continued: as Glotov fired a shot into traffic the Muscovites’ goalie was screened again. The puck looped up off his shoulder and dropped behind him and into the net to give Traktor the winning goal.
Dynamo played with six skaters for the last three-and-a-half minutes and kept Traktor under pressure in the closing stages. But the home team held on to take the early lead in the series.
