Metallurg Mg v Admiral 5-3
The final score might look decisive, but this game was anything but a calm voyage for the defending champion. Down 1-3 at one stage, it took two goals in the last 67 seconds to snatch a win for Metallurg. Alexander Semin snapped a 3-3 tie on 58:53 after Tomas Filippi wrestled control of the puck on the slot and fed his team-mate at the far post. Twenty-seven seconds later Evgeny Timkin put the issue beyond doubt, picking up a loose puck in acres of space in front of the net and firing past Igor Bobkov. Earlier, though, it was Admiral’s offense that impressed. Maxim Kazakov gave the visitor a short-lived lead in the first period, although Oskar Osala quickly equalized. The middle session saw Viktor Alexandrov and Alexander Gorshkov give the Sailors a 3-1 lead, ending Vasily Koshechkin’s evening in the home net. Ilya Samsonov came in and denied any further away goals, while Jan Kovar scored on the power play late in the second to sow the seeds of doubt among the Admiral players. The impressive Filippi tied the game in the 48th minute as Magnitka piled on the pressure, and the home team finally forged ahead in the closing moments of the game.
Ufa v Kunlun 4-5 SO
It was 38 games in the making, but finally Kunlun Red Star found itself tied at the end of regulation. The Chinese team navigated the perils of overtime comfortably enough, then found itself embroiled in a first-ever shoot-out.
The key confrontation pitted home goalie Niklas Svedberg against Slovak forward Martin Bakos, whose second-period marker had chased the Swede from the ice. The duel produced a similar result: Bakos scored with a wrister from close in, Salavat failed to find a way past Tomi Karhunen, and the win went to China. Kunlun deserved the verdict. The visitor never trailed in regulation, going ahead in the 10th minute through Janne Jalasvaara, regaining the lead on a Tomi Sallinen strike deep in the first period and opening a 4-2 advantage thanks to Bakos and Chad Rau in the second. Only a late equalizer from Denis Kulyash with two-and-a-half minutes remaining denied Red Star a regulation victory. But the defenseman merely delayed the moment when Vladimir Yurzinov, once head coach in Ufa, claimed his second victory of the season against his former club.
The win also boosts Kunlun’s playoff push, lifting the team to sixth place and opening a five point over ninth-placed Sibir. The Siberians also played two games more than Red Star, adding to the growing belief that the Chinese team can make post-season in its rookie campaign.Traktor v Amur 3-1
Derek Roy scored for the second game in a row to help Traktor to a 3-1 win at home to Amur. Roy opened the scoring in the first period and Kirill Koltsov’s power play marker made it 2-0 late in the second. Vitaly Popov gave Amur hope early in the third but Maxim Yakutsenya sealed the win with an empty-net goal.
Severstal v Lokomotiv 3-2
Two goals from Evgeny Mons put Severstal on track for a surprise win at home to Lokomotiv. The forward struck either side of the second intermission, cancelling out Vladislav Gavrikov’s opener for the visitor. Daniil Vovchenko added a third for Severstal before young prospect Alexander Polunin got one back for Loko late on. Severstal ended a 10-game losing streak.
Torpedo v Lada 2-1 SO
John Norman gave Torpedo a shoot-out win over Lada following a 1-1 tie in Nizhny Novgorod. Brandon McMillan opened the scoring for Torpedo, Stanislav Bocharov replied for Lada.
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