Questionable call seals the deal in Traktor vs Neftekhimik affair

Due to the departure of Andrei Popov and Anton Glinkin to team Russia, Traktor’s coaching staff had to resort to some major restructuring of the lines. Left without his longtime partners in the second line, Dmitri Pestunov was moved to the top one to accompany Panov and Chistov. The entire line led by Osnovin thus became the nominal second one. The third attacking line consisted of Semyon Kokuyov, Francis Pare and Mikhail Mokin who last played a game in Traktor back on October 24, 2014. The fourth line remained unchanged while the 13th attacking spot was given to Andrei Yerofeyev.

This encounter became the fourth head-to-head game for both teams during this regular season. Neftekhimik twice put Traktor away on home ice (4:1 and 4:2) while the black-and-white won the only game held in Chelyabinsk (6:2).

Traktor plunged into the game head first; not even two minutes into, Mokin outskated three opponents and managed to take a shot turned aside, however, by Aleksandr Sudnitsyn. Neftekhimik replied with a chance of their own; Igor Polygalov took a dangerous shot on Garnett’s goal – Traktor #1 goalie dealt with the threat. Around ten minute mark Traktor turned the heat up a notch, but the puck did not go in, at times with the help of Aleksandr Sudnitsyn, at times – of Lady Luck. Neftekhimik then converted a rare PP chance – the goal was scored by the evil genius of Traktor, Yegor Milovzorov. Right after this unfortunate occasion, Traktor got a power play opportunity of their own, but it quickly turned into a four-on-four and then, into a visitors’ man advantage. During these minutes, Michael Garnett came up with a highlight reel save, taking the puck dead in his glove after a close-range shot by Igor Polygalov.

The second twenty was basically two periods into one. Neftekhimik dominated the early portion of it, scoring another power play goal at the hands of Dan Sexton and extending the goal differential. However, Traktor did not agree to be beat this early and scored two quick goals (both by D-men, by the way). First, Yegor Martynov finally scored his first ever goal in Traktor; then, during a power play, Deron Quint saw that Sudnitsyn’s vision impaired by traffic and sent the rubber into the near corner. The fans in attendance roared, pushing their beloved team forward, but it seemed as though both opponents decided to take a breather and postpone the decisive strike for the third twenty.

And what a nailbiter of a period that was – true seesaw, both teams going back and forth for the victory. Some five minutes before the horn Vyacheslav Osnovin put on a terrific individual play and was all alone, but in the very last moment could not lift the puck up and sent it directly into Sudnitsyn’s glove. This battle had the fans at the edge of their seats; and then something extraordinary happened. Neftekhimik controlled the puck in the attacking zone for quite a while and, during one of the exchanges, Yegor Milovzorov skated beside Michael Garnett and pushed him, causing the latter to fall on the ice. As Michael was getting back to his feet, Igor Polygalov was quick to hit the net left by its tender. Enraged, Garnett flipped over the net, showing his anger towards the refs’ call. However, this did not impress the officials who were not in the mind to overturn their early decision. Traktor had less than two minutes to try to save this bout, and the black-and-white were actually close to doing so when Neftekhimik was left shorthanded. Garnett headed for the bench, but even the extra skater and a two-man advantage was not enough for Traktor to overcome the odds.

Game details

TRAKTOR vs. NEFTEKHIMIK – 2:3 (0:1, 2:1, 0:1)
Goals: Milovzorov (Ivanov), 13 (0:1 – PP goal); Sexton (Pujacs), 28 (0:2 – PP goal); Martynov (Kokuyov, Pare), 31 (1:2); Quint (Martynov, Pestunov), 33 (2:2 – PP goal); Polygalov (Berezin, Ivanov), 59 (2:3).

TRAKTOR
Garnett (0:00 – 58:31);
Quint – Borodkin, Panov (A) – Pestunov – Chistov (C);
Kondratyev – Vasilchenko, Penkovsky – Osnovin – Ruzicka;
Martynov – Atyushov (A), Kokuyov – Pare – Mokin;
Davydov, Velichkin – Kruchinin – Gubarev.

NEFTEKHIMIK
Sudnitsyn;
Eronen – Pujacs, Sexton – Anderson – Grigorenko;
Berezin – Ryasensky, Ivanov – Polygalov (A) – Milovzorov (A);
Yevseyenkov – Bryntsev, Rybin (C) – Nikulin – Zhukov;
Kosmachyov, S. Alshevsky – Kulikov – Y. Alshevsky.

PIM: 6 (4+2+0) – 8 (4+2+2).
Shots: 26 (4+10+11) – 39 (13+12+14).
Faceoffs won: 25 (9+9+7) – 34 (8+15+11).
Hits: 28 (8+14+6) – 25 (7+11+7).
Shots blocked: 8 (6+1+1) – 19 (5+9+5).
TOI: Quint (23:46), Panov (22:46), Chistov (22:11) – Berezin (24:59), Ryasensky (22:31), Ivanov (20:35).
PP goals: 2-1.

Referees: Sergei Kulakov (Tver), Pavel Komarov (Nizhny Novgorod). 
Linesmen: Andrei Matyusha (Barnaul), Jakov Paley (Magnitogorsk).

February 3, 2015. Traktor Arena, Chelyabinsk, Russia. Attendance – 7380.