Legare’s debut double can’t stop Avtomobilist

Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg 4 Traktor Chelyabinsk 3 OT (1-1, 1-0, 1-2, 1-0)

Summer signing Nathan Legare scored twice on his first appearance for Traktor as Scott Gordon took chance of his men in pre-season action for the first time.

Legare, who played with Utica Comets in last year’s AHL, is part of a new-look Traktor team with an emphasis on youth. He wasn’t the only new import on display, with Norwegian goalie Henrik Haukeland getting the start.

Haukeland was beaten after nine minutes in front of a big crowd for Avtomobilist’s first home game of the summer. Maxim Denezhkin opened the scoring midway through the opening frame. But the lead lasted just 32 seconds before Stepan Gorbunov tied it up.

The Motormen suffered two losses to SKA in its previous summer outings. But midway through the second period, Alexei Kudashov’s team regained the lead when summer signings Alexander Barabanov and Adam Ruzicka combined for Danil Gushchik to score.

That lead lasted until the 54th minute, when Legare’s first goal made it 2-2. Avto responded quickly, regaining the advantage a minute later on Anatoly Golyshev’s marker. But Traktor kept pushing and, after Haukeland made way for a sixth skater, Legare tied it up and forced overtime.

But there would be no winning start for Traktor’s newcomers. Instead, Daniel Sprong struck in the extras to give Kudashov his first win in his new job in Yekaterinburg.