Tough tests against VHL opposition

Saturday saw two warm-up games as KHL teams stepped up their preparations against VHL rivals. And it turned out that the gap was not so great: Sokol took Sibir to overtime, before Metallurg Novokuznetsk claimed a 3-2 win over Spartak.

Sibir Novosibirsk 4 Sokol Krasnoyarsk (VHL) 3 OT (0-0, 1-1, 2-2, 1-0)

A debut goal for David Farrance and an assist from new goalie Louis Domingue were the highlights for Sibir in its first pre-season outing.
But Saturday’s warm-up game against the VHL’s Sokol Krasnoyarsk was a tough test. Sibir had to come from behind to force overtime before edging a 4-3 verdict.

The teams played a goalless first period, but in the second Farrance broke the deadlock. The defenseman, signed from KooKoo in Finland over the summer, has some attacking props – 37 points last season – but his goals are a relative rarity, finding the net just twice in Finland. Nonetheless, he converted a five-on-three power play.

Sokol responded with power play goals either side of the second intermission to lead 2-1. Sergei Shirokov soon had Sibir level with a 46th-minute tally, but Ilya Skvortsov restored Sokol’s lead midway through the third period.

Domingue’s debut assist arrived in the 56th minute, the former New York Ranger claiming a helper as Pavel Gogolev got the tying goal. Then, in the extras, Sibir’s power play struck once again as Valentin Pyanov grabbed the game-winner with Farrance getting an assist. 

Spartak Moscow 2 Metallurg Novokuznetsk (VHL) 3 (0-1, 1-0, 1-2)

Two goals in 25 seconds gave VHLers Metallurg Novokuznetsk victory over Spartak. It’s the first time this summer that a team from the lower tier has overcome KHL opposition.

Spartak’s first pre-season action meant an import-free roster that leaned heavily on the club’s reserves. While there was plenty of KHL experience involved, Alexei Zhamnov opted to do without the likes of established leaders Nikolai Goldobin, Pavel Poryadin or Ivan Morozov for the visit of Kuznya.

Metallurg, meanwhile, included players with KHL experience and one of them, Vladislav Kodola, created the opening goal for Mikhail Shalagin in the first period. Spartak responded with a tying goal from Daniil Ivanov in the middle frame and went in front on Stanislav Yarovoi’s power play goal after 48 minutes.

But that drew an instant reaction from Novokuznetsk, with two quick goals settling the outcome. Shalagin turned provider on a power play goal from Alexander Gorshkov before Zakhar Kurbatov potted the winner on 50:03.