When everything goes in
Stas Chistov and Alexander Shinin returned to the lineup for this bout. Chistov took his usual spot at top line’s left wing while Shinin became the 7th defenseman. Also, Martin Ruzicka replaced Semyon Afonasyevsky in the third line. Vasili Demchenko was the starting goalie for the umpth time in this
season.
Jokerit took control of the puck early on but could not create substantial
scoring chances. The black-and-white, on the other hand, occasionally put
together sharp counterattacks one of which should have ended in the go-ahead
goal, but Popov sent the rubber just
wide of the net. A little bit later on, second Traktor penalty of the period
led to a rare shorthanded goal; Yakutsenya drove the puck into the attacking zone and found Yegor Martynov with a
saucer. Karlsson denied the shot,
but Kokuyov was quick to collect a
rebound and open the score. Before the horn, Traktor was once again left
shorthanded, and this was Vasya’s time to rise and shine; Demchenko and company killed the penalty off and kept the
black-and-white in the lead.
The second stanza turned out to be the absolute best twenty minutes for Traktor
in this season. Everything that had not been going in did go in during this
period. The fun began with Dmitri Pestunov putting it away with a heavy
slapper. Jokerit did not even have time to understand the scope of the problem
as Traktor quickly increased their lead; a classic tic-tac-toe saw Glinkin score his first season goal from
close range. In the very next shift, Pestunov scored his second of the night and sent Henrik Karlsson to the bench where Jokerit’s
Swedish goalie almost broke his stick in half in frenzy. This move got visitors
going, and Peter Regin quickly pulled one back, but soon
enough Traktor reestablished the four-goal margin. At first, everyone in
attendance thought that Pestunov completed the hat trick, and caps went flying onto the ice. However, later on
the decision was waived off, and it was Andrei
Popov who was named the goalscorer. If not the hat trick, the black-and-white
caps celebrated Andrei’s 100th career goal in Traktor.
It was all said and done to this point, and all the hosts had to do was not to
allow much wiggle room for the angry Jokers. However, they were able to score
twice within the span of twenty minutes. Three minutes before the horn, the
good ole’ Juhamatti Aaltonen deflected an Olimb shot from the point into the
twine. Then, mere six seconds before the end of the game, Tommi Huhtala cut the goal margin to two. Even with those two flies
in the ointment, Chelyabinsk crowd thanked their favorites with the first wave
of the season. Five three, Traktor is on a four-game hot streak.
Game details
TRAKTOR vs. JOKERIT – 5:3 (1:0, 4:1, 0:2)
Goals: Kokuyov (Yakutsenya, Martynov), 15 (1:0 – shorthanded);
Pestunov (Popov, Glinkin), 23 (2:0); Glinkin (Popov, Pestunov), 24 (3:0 – PP goal);
Pestunov (Popov), 26 (4:0); Regin (Kozun), 29 (4:1); Popov (Davydov, Martynov),
34 (5:1 – PP goal); Aaltonen (Olimb), 57 (5:2); Huhtala (Jaakola, Lajunen), 60
(5:3).
TRAKTOR
Demchenko;
Quint (C) – Borodkin, Chistov – Osnovin – Yakutsenya;
Martynov – Zhuldikov, Glinkin – Pestunov (A) – Popov;
Petrov (A) – Davydov, Mokin – Glovatsky – Ruzicka;
Shinin,Gubarev – Rybakov – Kokuyov;
Afonasyevsky.
JOKERIT
Karlsson (Helenius 25:49 – 60:00);
Ohtamaa – Lajunen (A), Olimb – Kapanen (C) – Jormakka;
Jensen – Kulda, Huhtala (A) – Regin – Kozun;
Jaakola – Sneck, Hagman – Sallinen – Aaltonen;
Joensuu – Wirtanen – Rita.
Shots on goal: 25 (9+8+8) – 29 (12+7+10).
Faceoffs won: 29 (7+11+11) – 32 (9+13+10).
PIM: 8
(6+2+0) – 10 (0+8+2).
Shots blocked: 14 (7+5+2) – 7 (2+0+5).
Hits: 22
(9+7+6) – 14 (4+6+4).
PP goals: 2-0.
Ice time: Borodkin (23:10), Davydov (23:06), Martynov
(21:16) – Lajunen (22:39), Jensen (21:22), Kulda (20:39)
Referees: Konstantin Olenin (Moscow), Yuri Oskirko (Yaroslavl).
Linesmen: Konstantin Gordenko (Ufa), Yakov Paley (Magnitogorsk)
October 7, 2015. Traktor Arena, Chelyabinsk, Russia. Attendance – 5700.
