Isayev backstops another Loko win

For the second game in a row, Lokomotiv edged a shut-out verdict over Salavat Yulaev. The defending champion now leads its Gagarin Cup second round series 2-0 as the teams head to Ufa for Sunday’s game three.

Defending champ in control

Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 2 Salavat Yulaev Ufa 0 (0-0, 1-0, 1-0)
Lokomotiv leads the series 2-0

Alexander Radulov scored one goal and created another to see the defending champion to another victory in Yaroslavl. Daniil Isayev recorded his second successive shut-out to put Lokomotiv in control of this series.

It was a big night for Isayev’s opposite number, Ilya Konovalov. Salavat Yulaev’s back-up goalie was unexpectedly thrust into the starting line-up in the absence of Semyon Vyazovoi, who did not make Friday’s roster.

The 27-year-old began his career with Lokomotiv and impressed enough in his first two full seasons to earn a move to the NHL with the Oilers. But that didn’t work out, and after a couple of solid seasons with Dynamo on his return to Russia, the goalie has struggled to establish himself as a first choice. In the current regular season he played just six games for Salavat Yulaev and five more in the VHL with Toros.

Back in action in his hometown, Konovalov was under pressure from the start as the defending champion looked to build a 2-0 lead before this series moves to Ufa. Lokomotiv attacked from the first shift, and almost got in front when Denis Alexeyev’s effort slammed into the post in the sixth minute. The Railwaymen outshot Salavat Yulaev 13-4 through 20 minutes, but Konovalov kept his goal intact.

The second period followed a similar pattern. The visitor managed to generate more offense than in the first, but Konovalov was still much the busier netminder. His best moment came midway through the session, outwitting Alexander Radulov in a one-on-one duel. At the other end, Daniil Isayev, whose KHL debut came while Konovalov was still at Loko, had to deny Artyom Pimenov a couple of times and made a big stop towards the end of the middle frame after Sheldon Rempal set up Yegor Suchkov.

But just before the intermission, Lokomotiv made the breakthrough. Amid extensive pressure, Konovalov repelled a long shot from Rushan Rafikov but Radulov went behind the net and produced a perfect set up for Byron Froese on the slot. After 26 saves, the stand-in goalie was beaten at last and Loko had the lead.

Salavat Yulaev had now gone five periods without a goal in this series. At the start of the third, for the first time in the game, the visitor managed to put together a spell of pressure on Isayev’s net, culminating in a quick counterattack that saw Rempal test the home goalie. Salavat would go on to outshoot Lokomotiv 12-3 in the third, but could not tie the game.

Later came a couple of power plays for Ufa, with Maxim Kuznetsov close to a tying goal in the 57th minute. His wrister was heading for the top corner, but Isayev’s glove took the goal from him. After that, and another successful home penalty kill, Viktor Kozlov called a time-out and swapped Konovalov for a sixth skater. But that ended badly for the visitor when Radulov got the puck and doubled Loko’s lead to seal another win.