CSKA marches on, Razin formally leaves Metallurg. October 18 round-up

The big on-ice news was CSKA’s 12th successive victory, restoring the Muscovites to the top of the Western Conference. Off the ice, Andrei Razin’s departure from Metallurg was confirmed hours before his former players secured a fifth straight win since he was suspended by the club. Dynamo Moscow edged a shoot-out win at Lada, Avangard had a similar result at home to Traktor and Ak Bars eased to a 4-1 victory in Minsk.

Winning streak continues for CSKA

CSKA Moscow 4 Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk 1 (1-1, 2-0, 1-0)

A 12th successive victory restored CSKA to the top of the Western Conference, two points clear of Lokomotiv. Neftekhimik lost ground at the top of the East, where leader Metallurg won today and second placed Barys got a verdict yesterday.

The Muscovites handed forward Riley Sawchuk a debut following his arrival from Togliatti. The Canadian, who was Lada’s scoring leader before his departure, began on the fourth line. Neftekhimik recalled Nikita Khlystov, Vladislav Yeryomenko and Nikita Popugayev.

Home fans did not have to wait long for the opening goal: after 57 seconds Maxim Mamin got free on the slot to make it 1-0 to CSKA. Neftekhimik struggled to cope with the host’s pace and power in the early stages and it was a surprise when German Tochilkin tied the game against the run of play in the 12th minute. It stayed 1-1 through the intermission, thanks to a Neftkehimik bench challenge that saw Alex Cotton’s effort ruled out for interference on Filipp Dolganov.

However, at the start of the second period, CSKA produced another quick goal to regain the lead. Maxim Sorkin was the scorer, extending his productive streak to six games. Prokhor Poltapov matched that run with an assist on the play. The home team continued to dominate and added a third close to the intermission when Ivan Drozdov scored on the rebound. Neftekhimik did not look a million miles away, but was short of a cutting edge when it got scoring chances.

The third period brought another early goal for CSKA, but this one was whistled back for offside. However, it wasn’t long before Denis Guryanov scored a legitimate one to make it 4-1. Rob Hamilton was denied by the piping as the home team sought a fifth, but there was no way back for the visitor.

Hawks edge Traktor in shoot-out

Avangard Omsk 2 Traktor Chelyabinsk 1 SO (0-0, 0-0, 1-1, 0-0, 1-0)

The Hawks made it back-to-back wins in a tight battle at home to Traktor. Both teams were unchanged for this match, save for switching their goaltenders. Nikita Serebryakov took over from Ivan Prosvetov in the home net, Dmitry Nikolayev got the start for the visitor.

There was no scoring in the first 40 minutes. Avangard was given a good chance when Nathan Legare was assessed a major penalty in the first but the Hawks could not capitalize.

In the second, Traktor got power play chances with Legare and Mikhail Grigorenko looking threatening. Avangard also had opportunities, notably a shorthanded rush by Yegor Afanasyev and a testing power play.

The opener came eight seconds into the third, with Avangard still on the power play. Damir Sharipzyanov unleashed a point shot that cannoned to the slot via the boards, and Josh Leivo was on hand to score on one of his former clubs. Traktor responded by upping its tempo. A run of good shifts led to a power play, and Artemy Nizameyev redirected Grigory Dronov’s point shot into the net.

There was no further scoring in regulation, but Dronov came close in overtime with a self-made chance that Serebryakov did well to stop. And the home goalie came out on top in the shoot-out as well, with youngster Gleb Burlaka getting the winner for Avangard.

Magnitka wins again after Razin quits club

Metallurg Magnitogorsk 4 Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg 2 (1-0, 0-2, 3-0)

The on-going Andrei Razin saga was resolved, while on the ice Metallurg claimed a fifth straight victory under Vladimir Vorobyov.

Razin, suspended a couple of weeks ago, left the club and agreed to replace Igor Larionov at SKA, with the news emerging in the space of a few hours on Sunday morning, Moscow time.

By now, though, Vorobyov is a familiar sight behind the Magnitka bench. Today he made changes, recalling club captain Yegor Yakovlev and reshuffling his lines. Avto had an enforced switch, with Daniel Sprong suffering an upper body injury while scoring twice against Avangard in the previous game.

The game was played on Fathers’ Day in Russia and Metallurg’s players took to the ice with their young children. Then they started the game as if determined to ensure the kids did not get overexcited. Magnitka rarely applied much of a press, and Avto constantly coughed up possession when it got into home territory.

The pattern was broken on a rare Metallurg counterattack. Adam Ruzicka lost possession, and Nikita Korotkov was the ultimate beneficiary, opening the scoring with a fine shot from the right-hand circle.

Avtomobilist turned things around in the second period and went into the intermission with a 2-1 lead. The goals came four minutes apart, scored by the most consistent line of recent games. Maxim Denezhkin tied it up from a dead angle, bouncing the puck off the goalie’s back. Then Maxim Tarasov redirected Kirill Vorobyov’s shot to make it 2-1. There might have been a third, but the net was already off its moorings before the puck found the target; a power play was scant consolation, especially when Metallurg killed Valery Orekhov’s penalty.

But it’s no accident that Metallurg leads the Eastern Conference, and the third period saw the home team turn the game back into its favor. Nathan Todd tied it up, reacting fastest on the slot after Artyom Minulin’s point shot. The goal seemed to knock the Motormen off their game and they fell behind on a similar play with Orekhov the provider and Andrei Kozlov getting the crucial touch.

After falling behind Avtomobilist at last managed to put some pressure on Alexander Smolin’s net. But the home goalie kept his team’s lead intact and Nikita Mikhailis added an empty netter to seal a fifth successive win for the home team.

Dynamo snatches vital verdict over Lada

Lada Togliatti 1 Dynamo Moscow 2 SO (1-0, 0-1, 0-0, 0-0, 0-1)

After Razin’s departure from Metallurg, there were claims that he was in discussions with Dynamo over the head coach’s role there. Leonids Tambijevs remains in post, but a poor run of recent form puts a question mark over his position.

A trip to Lada, struggling in the standings but buoyed by a historic win over SKA, was something of a must-win for the Blue-and-Whites. They got the job done, but needed a shoot-out after a 1-1 tie through 65 minutes.

The home team had to do some work on defense in the first period, but went into the intermission with the only goal of the game thanks to Evgeny Groshev. He got the vital touch on Arsen Taymazov’s shot to beat Maxim Motorygin in the 14th minute.

The second stanza saw Dynamo pick up the pace. The tying goal came on the power play in the 28th minute when Jordan Weal reacted smartly to a rebound and ended Nikita Podskrebalin’s shut-out streak at 123:03. Podskrebalin had to leave the game in the 46th minute due to injury, but his replacement Andrei Mishurov did enough to take the game to the extras.

However, he was unable to secure victory for Lada. The shoot-out went decisively in Dynamo’s favor thanks to successful attempts from Nikita Korostelyov and Dylan Sikura. That was only a second win in nine games for the visitor, which remains a point outside the playoff spots.

Bilyalov frustrates Minsk offense

Dinamo Minsk 1 Ak Bars Kazan 4 (1-2, 0-1, 0-1)

Visiting goalie Timur Bilyalov made 32 saves to help his team to victory. Ak Bars recorded its second successive win, while the Bison fell to back-to-back losses.

The home team started well enough, scoring on the first power play of the game through Ilya Usov in the fifth minute. That was Usov’s first of the season, but it turned out to be Dinamo’s only success in this game. By the intermission, Ak Bars had turned the scoreline around thanks to a power play goal of its own from Albert Yarullin followed by Denis Zernov’s first since joining the club from CSKA.

Bilyalov’s busiest moments came in the second period as Dinamo took the initiative after the break. But Timur came up big at one end, and Alexei Byvaltsev’s goal on the counter gave Ak Bars a 3-1 lead to take into the final frame.

The pattern of play didn’t change much in that third period – and neither did the outcome. Dinamo’s pressure founded on Bilyalov’s saves, and the only goal came at the other end when Mitch Miller found the empty net.