Aimurzin impresses in Russian win

Russia-25 3 Belarus 1 (1-0, 1-0, 1-1)

Danil Aimurzin led the way with two goals as Russia-25 claimed a 3-1 win over Belarus. The result means the outcome of the Channel 1 Cup will go to the final day, with Russia and Belarus currently level on one win apiece.

The Russia-25 roster is built as a development roster with an average age of 25. Head coach Roman Rotenberg worked with 31 players from 15 KHL clubs. That list included Sibir defenseman Timur Akhiyarov, making his international debut on home ice in Novosibirsk. By contrast, Dmitry Kvartalnov’s Belarusian line-up had a strong lean towards players from his own Dinamo Minsk club.

Moreover, the Belarusians had already made a winning start at the Channel 1 Cup, defeat Kazakhstan 4-1 in Friday’s opening game. Perhaps that familiarity helped to give Belarus a fast start in the game, dominating the early exchanges without seriously testing Maxim Motorygin in the Russian net.
The first big chance came at the other end when Severstal’s Danil Aimurzin set up Lokomotiv’s Yegor Surin, only for Ivan Kulbakov to deny the youngster. Soon after, Aimurzin missed a penalty shot after Prokhor Poltapov’s rush was halted illegally.

But the breakthrough came in the 14th minute from the KHL’s leading goalscorer this season, Roman Kantserov. The Metallurg man produced some great play, bursting into the zone and holding off the attentions of Daniil Bokun to shoot past Kulbakov.

Russia held that lead until the intermission and continued to press in the second period. Aimurzin’s busy performance got its reward midway through the session on a play that resembled that chance early in the game. Once again, he set up Surin and this time Kulbakov’s stop merely invited the Severstal man to convert the rebound.

The Russians were good value for a two-goal lead but after a rather one-sided middle frame, the final stanza saw the Belarusian offense step up at last. Vladislav Yeryomenko fired just over the top after outwitting Alexander Yelesin, then Motorygin recovered to pad away a dangerous shot from Daniil Lipsky.

However, Russia-25 would not be denied. Aimurzin rounded off a good individual performance with an empty-net goal to seal the win. The only disappointment came in the final seconds when Avtomobilist forward Roman Gorbunov grabbed a consolation goal for Belarus, robbing Motorygin of a shut-out after the Dynamo Moscow man stopped two efforts but could do nothing with the third.

The Channel 1 Cup concludes tomorrow when Russia plays Kazakhstan. Anything better than a loss in regulation will give Roman Rotenberg’s team the trophy.