Goalscoring returns for Kravtsov, Soshnikov. November 11 round-up

Tuesday’s games saw two players pot debut goals on their return to last season’s teams. First, Vitaly Kravtsov got the opener in Traktor’s 2-1 OT win at Amur on his first appearance of the season. Then Nikita Soshnikov potted the game-winner on his return to Admiral from Sibir, helping secure a 4-2 victory over Avtomobilist.

Two points for Kravtsov

Amur Khabarovsk 1 Traktor Chelyabinsk 2 OT (1-1, 0-0, 0-0, 0-1)

Vitaly Kravtsov wasted little time in marking his return to Traktor with a goal and an assist. The forward, who returned to the Chelyabinsk club last week after leaving the Canucks, opened the scoring inside three minutes of Tuesday’s trip to Amur.

Kravtsov went on a line with Andrei Svetlakov and Josh Leivo and that partnership tasted success in only its second shift. Svetlakov found Grigory Dronov on the blue line, the defenseman drilled the puck towards the net and Kravtsov battled for possession on the slot before stuffing home the opening goal.
Traktor had a chance to build on that start midway through the first period when Yaroslav Dyblenko sat for tripping, but the visiting power play could not make a breakthrough. Instead, Amur tied the game in the 15th minute through Evgeny Svechnikov. He collected a pass from Oleg Li and converted a two-on-one break, much to the frustration of Traktor goalie Chris Driedger who was beaten by the fifth shot he faced.

In the second period, Amur twice failed to convert on the power play. Traktor’s defense blocked shots throughout the middle frame, with Dronov and Arseny Koromyslov getting behind two apiece.

There was no scoring in the third either. Traktor might have won it late on, ringing the iron on a delayed penalty then testing Maxim Dorozhko on the power play. The home goalie was aided by Ivan Mishchenko, who blocked a powerful effort from Mikhail Grigorenko.
In overtime, Traktor finally got it over the line. Amur’s Yaroslav Likhachyov had a good chance to win it at one end, but the next attack saw Dronov fire home Kravtsov’s pass to settle the outcome.

Soshnikov subjects Avto to fourth straight loss

Admiral Vladivostok 4 Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg 2 (1-0, 0-0, 3-2)

Nikita Soshnikov made a scoring return to Admiral, potting the game-winner in an entertaining affair at home to Avtomobilist.

The visitor, again struggling with missing players, deployed Reid Boucher in an unfamiliar role on the left wing alongside Curtis Valk and Brooks Macek.

Forward Alexander Sharov and two-way defenseman Jesse Blacker were both scratched.

The Sailors like to assert their authority from the start on home ice, and today’s game was no exception. Vladimir Galkin was busy right away as the Motormen struggled to get started. Things improved for the visitor when Danil Romantsev fired against the crossbar, inspiring his colleagues to greater attacking efforts.

However, Admiral quelled that storm and the prolific Gutik-Shen partnership was close to fashioning another goal. Then came the breakthrough: Libor Sulak’s shot was blocked, but Danil Gutik converted the rebound. Sulak’s assist moves the Czech defenseman to a club record 126 points for Admiral, overtaking Alexander Gorshkov.

For a long time, the second period drifted by almost without incident. Then, out of nothing, Avtomobilist got the puck in the net after Adam Huska failed to freeze the play. Leonids Tambijevs was quick to challenge the play, and the goal was called back due to Anatoly Golyshev’s aggression in front of the net.

Admiral extended its lead in the 47th minute. Gutik was involved again, starting the play with support from Semyon Ruchkin before Nikita Tertyshny fired home for his first point in eight games.

The host should have put the game to bed soon after when Kirill Vorobyov was ejected from the game after shoving his stick into Sulak’s face. However, the major penalty went against Admiral: Gutik coughed up the puck under pressure and Yaroslav Busygin grabbed a shorthanded goal.

That brought the game back to life, but the visiting coaching staff got over-excited and a bench minor handed Admiral a five-on-three advantage. That chance was too good to miss, and Soshnikov capitalized to mark his return from Sibir with a debut goal in the 52nd minute.

Avto kept pushing and again found the net through Maxim Denezhkin on a delayed penalty. But there was no way back. The visitor’s late surge was undermined by a penalty on Golyshev before Sailors’ top goalscorer Kyle Olson found the empty net to wrap up the verdict.