No goals

Traktor garnered two victories before this match, therefore, the coaching staff only resorted to minor changes in defensive pairs.

Last season Traktor came away with two wins, in fact, both matches were won by the black-and-white with the same score – 3:1. The last time CSKA was victorious in a head-to-head match was back in January 2013 when the scintillating Pavel Datsyuk had everyone in the palm of his hand during the shootouts when he outdid Michael Garnett in a brilliant fashion.

The first twenty, in brief, consisted of two penalties, one goal and a handful of scoring chances. Traktor gave CSKA a lot of freedom on the ice, but still had one chance to score. Unfortunately, no one was able to convert a saucer pass by Kostitsyn. CSKA, despite a big advantage in shots, for some time could not upset Fokin. Nonetheless, they were finally able to do it when minute number 13 came around – Jan Mursak continued his stellar scoring record with another goal.

After the break it was noticeable that Traktor had accumulated a ton of fatigue after three away games as the black-and-white’s focus was firmly on defense. Overall, the period was devoid of nerve and emotion and went on without goals as a result. Despite changes in penalty call structure, the opponents only collected a measly 6 PIM and could not create any sort of trouble for the opposition. Closer to the end of the period Kostitsyn ran away for a rendezvous with Galimov, but at the last second a CSKA D-man thwarted his attempt on goal.

Some three minutes into the final twenty Chad Billins doubled the lead for the hosts. This goal got Traktor visibly anxious; visitors collected all the strength they had in an effort to get back into the game, but it only resulted in several sharp attacks by CSKA, during one of which Fokin made a stellar save that would later be named save of the week by KHL. Minutes later Traktor acquired a chance to convert a double PP, but alas, the puck just would not go through. With a decent catch of points (5 out of possible 12 in 4 away games) Traktor returns home to appear before the home fans for the first time in this season.

Game details

CSKA vs. TRAKTOR – 2:0 (1:0, 0:0, 1:0)

Goals: Mursak (Prokhorkin), 13 (1:0); Billins (Mursak), 43 (2:0 – PP goal).

CSKA
Galimov;
Zaytsev – Denisov (C), Radulov (A) – Da Costa – Grigorenko;
Billins – Kiselevich, Mursak – Prokhorkin – Artyukhin (A);
Misharin – Bondarev, Andronov – Stas – Mamin;
Yegorshev, Zharkov – Lyubimov – Zhafyarov;
Telegin.

TRAKTOR
Fokin;
Quint – Kondratyev, Glinkin – Wilson – Kostitsyn;
Khlystov – Piganovich, Ruzicka – Bulis (C) – Panov (A);
Katichev – Atyushov (A), Chistov – Osnovin – Abdullin;
Vasilchenko, Penkovski – Popov – Kokuyov.

PIM: 12 (2+4+6) – 12 (2+2+8).
Shots: 34 (16+5+13) – 22 (7+10+5).
Faceoffs won: 28 (10+8+10) – 33 (11+4+18).
Hits: 25 (11+10+4) – 14 (4+3+7).
Shots blocked: 13 (5+4+4) – 15 (5+5+5).
TOI: Zaytsev (21:36), Kiselevich (19:50), Denisov (19:16) – Quint (23:10), Wilson (20:44), Kondratyev (20:33).
PP goals: 1-0.

Referees: Aleksey Belov (Yaroslavl), Eduard Odins (Riga, Latvia).
Linesmen: Pyotr Alyoshin, Aleksandr Nesterov (both – Saint-Petersburg).

September 10, 2014. CSKA Ice Sports Palace, Moscow, Russia. Attendance – 4013.

Photo by CSKA Press Office