Avangard fights back in Moscow. October 26 round-up

Monday’s big game saw two clubs desperate to close on the playoff spots going head-to-head in Moscow. It looked like Dynamo would move into the top eight in the West when it opened a 2-0 lead on Avangard, but that advantage evaporated in the third and the Hawks took an OT verdict. Traktor avenged a 1-2 loss to Sibir with a win by the same scoreline, and Avtomobilist beat Barys 4-1.

Revenge win for Traktor

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

A Mikhail Grigorenko goal in the third period saw Traktor avenge its 1-2 loss at home to Sibir earlier this season.

The home team handed a debut to Andrei Chivilyov, who recently moved to Chelyabinsk from Lada. Artemy Nizameyev, back after illness, also returned with Artyom Udot and Andrei Matyushin making way. Dmitry Nikolayev took over from Henrik Haukeland in goal. Ilya Lyuzenkov replaced Semyon Koshelev in the Sibir line-up.

Traktor attacked from the start, with Andrei Svetlakov missing a great chance to open the scoring following the first face-off. A few more opportunities came and went, then Sibir’s fourth line managed a counter attack that ended with Lyuzenkov’s first goal of the season putting the visitor up 1-0.

Early in the second, Chivilyov went to the box but the penalty kill worked out well for Traktor. Svetlakov raced away and fired in a shot, the rebound went to Mikhail Rolgizer and he tied the game. The same player almost put the home team ahead a few minutes later in similar fashion. Later in the middle frame, Nizameyev saw a power play goal called back for interference on visiting goalie Anton Krasotkin. And the video judges were in action once more in the 38th minute, denying Yegor Korshkov a goal for Sibir after the Traktor bench claimed a high stick.

There were no such doubts about Grigorenko’s winner, though.  A misplaced attempt at a clearance went straight to the Traktor forward in the right-hand circle and he quickly despatched a wrister over Krasotkin’s glove to settle the outcome.

Motormen ease past Barys

Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg 4 Barys Astana 1 (2-0, 1-1, 1-0)

The Motormen enjoyed a second successive big win, following a 5-1 thrashing of CSKA with a 4-1 success against a free-scoring Barys team.

Alexei Kudashov had just one change following the CSKA game, bringing in Jordan Gross ahead of Jesse Blacker. Barys had lost its previous two games in the Far East, but Mikhail Kravets made just two changes: Dinmukhamed Kaiyrzhan replaced Semyon Simonov on the second line and Adil Beketayev was named seventh defenseman.

Avtomobilist started well, giving Hunter Shepard plenty to do in the visitor’s net. It seemed a goal was imminent, but Barys responded with a couple of counter attacks of its own.

Soon, the quality of chances began to match the quantity. Avto’s most productive line combined once again to open the scoring: Maxim Denezhkin and Artyom Kashtanov combined for Maxim Tarasov to score. Then Daniel Sprong beat Shepard through traffic to double the lead in the 15th minute. The home team was good value for a 2-0 lead after outshooting Barys 14-4.

The lead increased at the start of the second when Roman Gorbunov struck on the power play. Then came a lively fight as Yaroslav Busygin and Tyce Thompson traded blows. Thompson returned from his major penalty to force Evgeny Alikin into a wonder save midway through the game and, as the pressure grew, Jake Massie finally beat the home goalie from long range just before the intermission to keep Barys in contention.

However, the visitor was unable to build on that. A calm start to the final frame saw Avtomobilist dictate the play before Gross made it 4-1 off a great feed from Chase Priskie. There were more good chances, Adam Ruzicka and Sprong both testing Shepard. Barys never looked likely to recover and Avtomobilist closed out an impressive win.

Hawks hit back to stun Dynamo

Dynamo Moscow 2 Avangard Omsk 3 OT (1-0, 1-0, 0-2, 0-1)

For the second time in three games, Dynamo blew a two-goal lead. And a single point from Monday’s loss to Avangard means the Blue-and-Whites remain outside the playoff places.

It was the fourth time in a row that Dynamo went to overtime, with one win and two losses in the previous three.

But this will feel like a game that Leonids Tambijevs’ team should have settled in regulation. Dynamo dominated the first, outshooting the Hawks 13-5 and getting in front in the 12th minute when Bondar spun off the boards and set up Igor Ozhiganov in front of Ivan Prosvetov’s net to open the scoring on the power play.

There was a sense that the home lead should have been greater, and Nail Yakupov almost punished the Muscovites at the start of the second. He was denied by Vladislav Podyapolsky and a few minutes later Dynamo doubled its lead. Prosvetov could not control the rebound from Luka Profaca’s shot and Daniil Davydov reacted first to put it in the top corner.

But Avangard rallied. The visitor finished the second period strongly and came out for the third believing it could save the game. Mikhail Gulyayev halved the deficit on 46 minutes, jumping off the boards to open a shooting lane past Podyapolsky. By now, the play was all one way – even a penalty on Josh Leivo merely slowed Avangard’s offense without derailing it completely. In the closing stages, Prosvetov made way for a sixth skater, Bulat Shafigullin sat for shooting the puck over the boards, and the six-on-four power play saw Damir Sharipzyanov grab a last-gasp equalizer. Omsk’s inspirational captain collected Max Lajoie’s pass and fired it home from the blue line while Leivo screened Podyapolsky’s view.

That took the game to overtime, where Mike McLeod completed a memorable Avangard fightback when he redirected Vasily Ponomaryov’s effort beyond the goalie to win the game. However, like today’s opponent, the Hawks are ninth in their conference, level on points with eighth place.