CSKA wins Moscow derby, Traktor keeps up hot streak. January 11 round-up

Two goals from Prokhor Poltapov, both punishing defensive lapses, gave CSKA a 2-1 win over Spartak in Sunday’s big game. Earlier, Traktor defeated Sibir 4-1 in Chelyabinsk. Two goals from Andrei Svetlakov paced a fourth successive victory.
 
Svetlakov shoots Traktor past Sibir

Traktor Chelyabinsk 4 Sibir Novosibirsk 1 (1-0, 1-1, 2-0)

Two goals from Andrei Svetlakov lifted Traktor to a fourth successive victory in 2026. Svetlakov himself has made a scoring contribution in each of those games, with 5 (4+1) points.

The home team brought Sergei Mylnikov back as starting goalie and handed a debut to 19-year-old defenseman Mark Rodionov. Sibir recalled Oskar Bulavchik for his first game since Nov. 24, with the forward replacing Ilya Fedotov. Anton Krasotkin returned in goal after missing the OT loss at home to Lokomotiv.

Traktor has scored first in each game of its New Year home stand and continued that recent tradition this afternoon. Svetlakov moved off the boards to launch an excellent wrist shot past Krasotkin, with Maxim Dzhioshvili putting up a screen in front of the visiting goalie.

The home team could have extended its lead in the middle frame. Logan Day hit the post, then Mikhail Goryunov-Rolgizer failed to convert a good chance. At the other end, Sibir punished those misses when Daniil Valitov blazed a trail from the blue line to the net, getting past Vladimir Zharkov and goalie Mylnikov on the way. That took the defenseman to five points in 11 games since joining Sibir from Avtomobilist in December.

However, the scores were not level for long. Svetlakov potted his second of the game from the face-off circle, restoring Traktor’s lead in the 35th minute. He moves to 13 goals for the season, his second best in his KHL career.

And Traktor took complete control of the game in the third period, adding two more goals to seal the win. Vitaly Kravtsov’s first goal of the year made it 3-1, with assists from Josh Leivo and Mikhail Grigorenko. Those two both have points from six of their last seven games, while goalscorer Kravtsov is closing on Traktor’s club scoring record, currently held by Anton Glinkin (234 points).

Another player in strong form of late, Vasily Glotov, finished the scoring with an empty net goal. He, too, has contributed in six of his last seven with two goals and six assists in that run.

Poltapov’s pair settles Moscow derby

CSKA Moscow 2 Spartak Moscow 1 (1-0, 0-0, 1-0)

For the second time in two days, Prokhor Poltapov grabbed two goals to lead CSKA to victory. The in-form 22-year-old moves to 14 goals and 28 points for the 2025/2026 season, and is on pace to beat his career-best haul from last term.

Today’s double also secured a third successive win for CSKA, and the club’s second victory in four games against the Spartak this season. Igor Nikitin’s men have lost just one of their last seven games, and that was a shoot-out verdict against Lokomotiv.

Spartak, meanwhile, was unable to build on back-to-back wins at the start of the year and missed the chance to climb above SKA into seventh place in the West. CSKA is now level on points with city rival Dynamo and can secure a top-four position if it continues this form.

The home team made a strong start in this Moscow derby, and had two early power plays without finding a way past Alexander Georgiyev in the Spartak net. It wasn’t until midway through the first period that the visitor managed to generate some offense of its own, helped when a defensive error left Takhir Mingachyov with little alternative to a foul.

However, there was a bigger blunder to come when Mikhail Maltsev delivered the puck directly to Poltapov’s stick in the 15th minute, gifting CSKA’s forward the opening goal to separate the teams at the first intermission.

After the break, the game continued in similar fashion. CSKA had the better of the play, and Georgiyev did well to ensure Spartak did not fall further behind. The visitor had opportunities on the power play but could not take advantage in a goalless session.

At the start of the third, Maltsev atoned for his first-period mistake and tied the game in the 42nd minute. Christian Jaros won possession on the right and proceeded around the boards and behind the net before firing the puck to the slot where Maltsev and Nathan Todd were waiting. Maltsev was the player with the decisive touch to beat Alexander Samonov in the CSKA net.

But Poltapov conjured another goal out of nothing to give the home team the verdict. In the 52nd minute he stripped Daniil Sobolev of the puck in the center ice then sprinting away to beat Georgiyev for a second time.