Metallurg stays on top, CSKA keeps up winning streak. September 23 round-up

A 4-3 thriller in Ufa was good enough for Metallurg to open a two-point lead at the top of the Eastern Conference. Two goals from Nathan Todd helped secure a third straight win for the Steelmen. CSKA’s streak is one better: a 2-0 verdict at Amur makes it four straight for the Muscovites. Also in the Far East, Lokomotiv bounced back from a home hammering to beat Admiral 2-1. Wednesday’s late game produced 10 goals as Neftekhimik beat Lada 7-3.

CSKA bags fourth straight win

Amur Khabarovsk 0 CSKA Moscow 2 (0-0, 0-2, 0-0)

Two goals late in the second period and 15 saves from Alexander Samonov earned CSKA a fourth successive victory as its Far East mission continues.

After Monday’s shoot-out win at Admiral, Igor Nikitin continued to rotate his players: forward Denis Zernov was scratched, along with defensemen Alex Cotton and Ivan Yukin. Young forward Oleg Maystrenko and defensemen Jeremy Roy and Ivan Patrikhayev came into the team.

Amur was looking to bounce back from a 1-4 loss at home to Severstal and head coach Alexander Andriyevsky made several changes, including a debut for 35-year-old forward Alexei Kruchinin.

There were no goals in the first period, but CSKA had a clear advantage in all aspects of the game. That pattern continued long into the second, but on 36 minutes the Muscovites got the lead at last. Roy found a shooting lane from the blue line and Marat Khairullin got the crucial touch to steer the puck beyond Dorozhko.

That was the first goal Dorozhko had allowed in a 122:47, but the next came before the second intermission when Maxim Mamin set up Derek Barach with all the time in the world to score from the slot.

The Tigers needed a bright start to the third if they were to escape a third straight loss. However, despite an early power play, the home team rarely threatened to retrieve the deficit and CSKA closed out the win with few alarms.

Polunin’s double downs Admiral

Admiral Vladivostok 1 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 2 (0-2, 0-0, 1-0)

The defending champion bounced back from a crushing loss at home to Barys with a hard-fought verdict in Vladivostok.

Head coach Dmitry Kvartalnov reacted to that 0-5 defeat by reshuffling his lines, leaving only Georgy Ivanov’s first line untouched. Prospect Kirill Yemelyanov made the roster for the first time in his career, named as 13th forward. Admiral recalled Alexander Volkov and Semyon Ibragimov. Daniil Isayev and Ivan Kulbakov started in goal.

The opening exchanges were fast and frantic, but neither side was able to exert much control. Admiral was close to opening the scoring with a shot against Isayev’s post. Lokomotiv managed its first significant attack after the power break, firing in a flurry of shots at Kulbakov. Gaining confidence, the visitor then opened the scoring when Alexander Polunin skated clear to beat the goalie and claim his first goal of the season.

Polunin soon added a second when he converted Danil Romantsev’s feed. Denis Alexeyev assisted on both goals. Lokomotiv finished the frame with a successful penalty kill.

In the second, Dmitry Zavgorodny had a good chance right away for Admiral but Isayev denied him. Loko responded by upping its game once more and taking the initiative, with Ivanov’s line looking the likeliest to score. However, neither team could find the net in the middle frame. Home goalie Kulbakov picked up an injury and was replaced by Nikita Boyarkin.

Admiral made little of an early power play in the third, then had to dig deep on the penalty kill after being reduced to three skaters. The Sailors survived, and back at full strength managed to beat Isayev in the 51st minute thanks to Ibragimov’s first goal for the club. But Loko shut down any remaining threat to claim the win.

Todd’s double keeps Metallurg on top

Salavat Yulaev Ufa 3 Metallurg Magnitogorsk 4 (0-1, 2-2, 1-1)

A Nathan Todd goal midway through the final stanza proved sufficient for Metallurg to hold off a Salavat Yulaev fightback.

Wednesday’s big game pitted fourth-placed Ufa against the Eastern Conference leader – and two in-form teams produced a night to remember.

Visiting head coach Andrei Razin opted to rest Vladimir Tkachyov, one of Metallurg’s leading players, after he reported a high temperature. Kirill Kadyshev was rushed to Ufa to join the team in Tkachyov’s place.

There was mixed news for Salavat Yulaev. Grigory Panin was unavailable, but defenseman Evgeny Kulik returned from injury for his first game since the playoff series against Avtomobilist. Vadim Shipachyov took the ‘C’ from Panin.

Metallurg made the better start, but after winning the first power play of the game the visitor ran into unexpected problems. Danil Alalykin and Matthew Maggio both came close to breakaway shorthanded goals. However, the opener went to Magnitka midway through the when Todd found the net, helped by a fumble from home goalie Semyon Vyazovoi.

The second period produced far more incident – including a sharp turnaround in fortunes. At first, Metallurg increased its lead through 20-year-old forward Igor Nechayev, who deftly redirected Yegor Korobkin’s feed into the net. But penalty trouble undermined the visitor; Salavat Yulaev got a five-on-three power play and converted it into two goals to tie the game in just 42 seconds. Sheldon Rempal scored them both, raising the temperature in the arena.

The noise kicked up another notch when Nechayev went to the box in the 34th minute, but this time Metallurg found the net. A wayward pass in the O-zone enabled Sergei Tolchinsky to race clear and restore the visitor’s lead.

Penalties played a part in the third period as well. Todd’s decisive goal came after 49 minutes on a power play and that gave Metallurg vital breathing space. Maggio managed to pull a goal back with 11 seconds to play, but the clock ran down before Ufa could complete its recovery.

Lada wilts in face of middle-frame surge

Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk 7 Lada Togliatti 3 (1-1, 5-0, 1-2)

A second-period blitz of five unanswered goals saw Neftekhimik to a high-scoring victory over Lada. Damir Zhafyarov struck twice and added an assist, leading the way as the Wolves got back on form.

Although the home team dominated the first period, outshooting the Motormen 12-5, Lada got the opening goal. Artyom Karpov struck in the sixth minute, potting his first KHL goal. But the lead didn’t last. Andrei Belozyorov, Neftekhimik’s scoring leader this season, tied it up after 12 minutes and it remained level until the intermission.

The middle frame brought the rewards that the first might have deserved. Just 18 seconds after the restart, Ivan Nikolishin put Neftekhimik in front – and it was a lead that would never be relinquished. German Tochilkin made it 3-1 on 24:41 and there was more to come.

Power play goals from Damir Zhafyarov and Maxim Fedotov padded the lead to 5-1, and even a penalty for Timur Khairullin could not stem the goal rush: Matvei Nadvorny’s short-handed effort chased starting goalie Andrei Mishurov from his net as Nikita Podskrebalin came into the game.

Amid that rush of goals, Lada actually outshot Neftekhimik in the second period, but failed to score on 15 attempts. So the visitor perhaps harbored hopes of an outlandish recovery in the final frame.

That dream even gained a whiff of reality when Andrei Chivilyov scored within a minute of the restart and Rasim Shakirov added another on 43:56. Now down by three, the visitor’s task seemed improbable rather than inconceivable.

But any prospect of a home wobble was eased when Zhafyarov got his second of the night, completing the scoring on 46 minutes. Neftekhimik snapped a two-game skid and climbs to second in the Eastern Conference, two points behind leader Metallurg.