Comeback cut short

Several changes took place in Traktor lineup, compared to the previous game. Kondratyev returned to top D line along with Deron Quint while Katichev was moved to third pair to Atyushov. Then, due to Popov’s injury, quite a few changes were made in offensive lines. For instance, Sayustov was moved to the right wing of line number two; Penkovski took Popov’s place in the center of the third line. Aleksei Zavarukhin was called up from Chelmet and was the center of line four while young Andrei Yerofeyev was the thirteenth forward in his first ever KHL game.

The first twenty was not very eventful. After a first few minutes mottled with game stops, Traktor and Dinamo exchanged a couple of attacks; hosts looked better in the first half of the period as Bulis could have upset Haugen twice, but the Norwegian goaltender stood tall on both exchanges. After mid-period mark Garnett responded to his colleague with a scintillating save. Sometime later Jan Bulis spearheaded another attack that was thwarted by Haugen. And then, some two minutes before the horn Matt Ellison converted an excellent pass from Ryan Vesce into one zip on the scoreboard.

Only two noteworthy moments took place during the second twenty; first, Vitali Atyushov delivered a saucer pass to Jan Bulis who once again could not outplay his archrival in this game, Lars Haugen; second, an out-of-the-blue goal allowed Dinamo Minsk to extend their lead. Garnett, however, signaled that the goal was scored by hand, but after thorough considerations the officials declared that the goal was legal.

The opponents seemingly decided to redeem themselves for the two rather uneventful periods. First off, while Traktor was shorthanded, Bulis destroyed a Dinamo defenseman as Panov corralled the puck and pulled one back. Fans in attendance instantaneously got fired up and gave their energy to their beloved team. Andrei Yerofeyev could have scored in his first KHL shift ever but hit the post instead. After minute 50 Anton Glinkin found the niche between the pads of Haugen and completed a once trademark third period comeback for Traktor. Hosts were on the roll, but it was quickly extinguished by another Ellison goal. Traktor had a ton of moments to tie it up, but the rubber just did not go in. When it seemed the black-and-white got back into it, a cold shower destroyed Traktor’s hopes. 

Game details

TRAKTOR vs. DINAMO Minsk – 2:3 (0:1, 0:1, 2:1)
Goals: Ellison (Vesce), 18 (0:1); Bailen, 39 (0:2); Panov, 44 (1:2 – shorthanded); Glinkin (Gubarev), 51 (2:2); Ellison (Linglet, Shinkevich), 51 (2:3).

TRAKTOR
Garnett (0:00 - 58:40);
Quint – Kondratyev, Bulis (C) – Panov (A) – Chistov;
Borodkin – Piganovich, Sayustov – Wilson – Kokuyov;
Katichev – Atyushov (A), Glinkin – Penkovski – Ruzicka;
Khlystov, Mokin – Zavarukhin – Gubarev;
Yerofeyev.

DINAMO Minsk
Haugen;
Nogachev – Bailen, Kalyuzhny (C) – Szczechura – Cheechoo (A);
Goroshko – Krajicek, Linglet – Ellison – Vesce;
Lisovets – Shinkevich, Meleshko – Gavrus – Kulakov (A);
Filichkin, Zakharov – Drozd – Razvadovsky.

PIM: 14 (0+2+12) – 4 (2+0+2).
Shots: 35 (10+12+13) – 32 (15+8+9).
Faceoffs won: 27 (9+8+10) – 30 (12+10+8).
Hits: 17 (5+3+9) – 12 (5+2+5).
Shots blocked: 4 (2+0+2) – 5 (1+1+3).
TOI: Quint (23:24), Piganovich (20:32), Borodkin (19:53) – Bailen (24:43), Szczechura (22:06), Nogachev (20:56).
PP goals: 0-0.

Referees: Aleksei Vasilyev (Saint-Petersburg), Yuri Oskirko (Yaroslavl).
Linesmen: Roman Menshkikh (Elektrostal), Aleksandr Nesterov (Saint-Petersburg).

October 22, 2014. Traktor Arena, Chelyabinsk, Russia. Attendance – 4610.