Where there is a will, there is a way

Dmitri Kostromitin and Denis Abdullin replaced Artyom Borodkin and Mikhail Mokin in the team’s lineup respectively.

First period got to an awful start for the visitors as Yugra provided a cold shower for Traktor in the form of two early goals by Bulyansky and Yatsenko. Karri Kivi decided to replace Fokin with Vasili Demchenko. Vasya immediately turned away several shots and was lucky once when the puck bounced of the post. Closer to the midway mark of the first twenty Traktor got it together and created a couple of chances on goal – Yugra goaltender Mikhail Biryukov saved the hosts. The goal was in the air though, and, after a power play, Traktor pulled one back when Glinkin added the puck into the goal from the crease. Just before the buzzer Martin Ruzicka even had a chance to tie it up, but Lady Luck was on Yugra’s side this time.

Traktor did not let up after the break. Kostitsyn earned a penalty shot and was really close to converting it, but Biryukov was the winner on this exchange. Shortly thereafter Traktor had two consecutive power plays and bombarded Biryukov’s goal, but all to no avail. Instead, Lukas Kaspar reestablished the two goal margin some 90 seconds before the horn.

Visitors were bent on turning this game around, and it brought much needed goals for them. First, Kostitsyn found young Daniil Gubarev with a saucer pass, and the latter found a recess between the pads of hosts’ goaltender. Time was running out, but Traktor managed to complete a comeback five minutes prior to the final buzzer when a Czech combo Bulis-Ruzicka tied the match at three apiece. Chistov even had an opportunity to decide the game in regulation, but could not lift up the puck and sent it into Biryukov’s glove instead.

Contrary to traditionally cautious manner of OT play, tonight Yugra and Traktor put on one hell of a showing, hitting the post one time each. Nonetheless, Traktor left it all out there, and Andrei Kostitsyn, who had 8 shots under his belt after the match, scored the game-winning penalty shot.

Game details

YUGRA vs. TRAKTOR – 3:4 SO (2:1, 1:0, 0:2, 0:0, 0:1)
Goals: Yatsenko (Chibisov), 2 (1:0); Bulyansky (Magogin, Sitnikov), 4 (2:0); Glinkin (Atyushov), 16 (2:1); Kaspar (Zheldakov), 39 (3:1); Gubarev (Kositsyn), 43 (3:2); Ruzicka (Bulis), 55 (3:3); Kostitsyn, 65 (3:4 – game-winning penalty shot).
Shootouts: Chistov (0:0 – denied by goaltender), Rajala (0:0 – post), Glinkin (0:0 – denied by goaltender), Kaspar (0:0 – denied by goaltender), Wilson (0:0 – wide), Gusev (0:0 – wide), Sergeyev (0:0 – denied by goaltender), Kostitsyn (0:1).

YUGRA
Biryukov;
Pepelyayev – Sergeyev, Sitnikov – Magogin – Bulyansky;
Larsen – Ternavskiy (C), Rajala – Maxwell – Kaspar;
Sokolov – Zheldakov, Bortnikov – Romantsev – Gusev;
Chibisov – Yatsenko – Filatov.

TRAKTOR
Fokin (Demchenko 03:28 – 65:00);
Quint – Kondratyev, Panov (A) – Bulis (C) – Ruzicka;
Khlystov – Atyushov (A), Chistov – Popov – Kostitsyn;
Kostromitin – Piganovich, Glinkin – Wilson – Abdullin;
Katichev, Penkovski – Osnovin – Gubarev;
Kokuyov.

PIM: 12 (4+4+2+2) – 6 (2+2+2+0).
Shots: 29 (11+8+6+5) – 45 (10+16+14+5).
Faceoffs won: 23 (9+6+6+2) – 39 (9+11+14+5).
Hits: 10 (2+4+2+2) – 11 (5+2+3+1).
Shots blocked: 11 (5+3+1+2) – 2 (1+0+1+0).
TOI: Sergeyev (28:59), Larsen (27:01), Maxwell (27:00) – Quint (27:00), Kondratyev (22:17), Wilson (20:23).

Referees: Aleksandr Dreyev (Mytishchi), Sergei Karabanov (Moscow).
Linesmen: Stepan Korshak, Aleksandr Chernyshev (both – Yaroslavl).

September 23, 2014, Arena Yugra, Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia. Attendance – 2550.