Game that Traktor could not afford to lose

Two fixtures were absent from Traktor lineup as Stanislav Chistov was traded to Lokomotiv, and Nikita Zhuldikov went to participate in the U20 World Championships. The returning Yegor Martynov took Zhuldikov’s spot. Plus, Artyom Penkovsky played his first game for the black-and-white since November 25.

The game started out with an Osnovin shot turned aside by Alexander Sharychenkov. Soon enough, Dynamo pulled ahead when Ilya Nikulin found the back of the net with a soft shot from the point. In general, visitors looked a lot quicker than the birthday boys; however, the black-and-white still able to mount some decent opposition. Yegor Martynov could not outplay Sharychenkov from some twenty feet. Finally, a couple of minutes before the horn Osnovin found Kruchinin with a laser pass, but the latter could not quite take a shot. One zip after one.

The tables were turned in the second period as Traktor quickly seized the advantage and tied the game. Two minutes in, Martynov shot the puck towards the slot where Anton Glinkin was able to redirect it past Sharychenkov, much to the delight of the jam packed Traktor Arena. Shortly thereafter, the officials "awarded” Traktor with two straight penalties. Vasili Demchenko dragged his team through these troubled times, and once this trial was passed, hosts overtook the lead. Martin Ruzicka was able to save the puck and feed Vladimir Denisov who sent the rubber into the near corner as the fans in attendance erupted in joy. Nonetheless, a defensive blunder by Traktor allowed Dynamo to tie it up three minutes before the break – Konstantin Volkov utilized a breakaway opportunity to perfection.

Five minutes into the third, Dynamo took the lead for the second time in this game. The D could not clear the puck away, Vladimir Bryukvin found it and beat Demchenko from close range. This turn of events did not slow Traktor down one bit. Just two minutes after, Traktor’s third line completely stunned visitors, and Alexander Sharov scored his first ever KHL goal. After the game was tied yet again, one would expect both teams to quiet it down a little, but these two were not your typical teams. A back-and-forth affair almost ended in regulation when Yuri Babenko was all alone and only had to beat Demchenko, but Vasya’s quick reflexes turned this one into OT…

…which lasted some thirty seconds before Filip Novak skated throughout the length of the ice and slapped the rubber into the net, thus giving the black-and-white a much needed win on the heels of team’s 68th birthday.

Game details

TRAKTOR vs. DYNAMO Moscow – 4:3 OT (0:1, 2:1, 1:1, 1:0)
Goals: Nikulin (Gorovikov), 5 (0:1); Glinkin (Rybakov, Martynov), 22 (1:1 – PP goal); Denisov (Ruzicka, Penkovsky), 34 (2:1); Volkov (Tsvetkov), 37 (2:2); Bryukvin (Tereshchenko, Nikulin), 45 (2:3 – PP goal); Sharov (Kokuyov), 47 (3:3); Novak (Rybakov, Kokuyov), 61 (4:3).

TRAKTOR
Demchenko;
Pervyshin – Novak, Glinkin – Rybakov – Yakutsenya;
Borodkin – Denisov, Penkovsky – Pestunov (A) – Ruzicka;
Shinin – Quint (C), Gubarev – Sharov – Kokuyov;
Petrov (A) – Martynov, Afonasyevsky – Osnovin – Kruchinin.

DYNAMO
Sharychenkov;
Hietanen – Solovyov, Petruzalek – Tereshchenko – Pestushko;
Mironov – Robinson, Bryukvin – Gorovikov (A) – Kokarev;
Vishnevsky – Nikulin, Fedorov – Tsvetkov (A) – Volkov;
Barantsev, Tarasov – Babenko (C) – Karpov.

Shots on goal: 24 (8+6+9+1) – 33 (14+11+8+0).
Faceoffs won: 24 (7+9+8+0) – 28 (8+9+10+1).
PIM: 8 (2+4+2) – 6 (4+0+2).
Shots blocked: 10 (1+5+4+0) – 12 (3+4+5+0).
Hits: 13 (6+5+2+0) – 22 (9+8+5+0).
PP goals: 1-1.
Ice time: Pervyshin (20:54), Rybakov (19:56), Glinkin (18:52) – Hietanen (23:56), Robinson (23:52), Nikulin (22:22).

Referees: Alexei Belov (Yaroslavl), Sergei Kulakov (Tver).
Linesmen: Konstantin Gordenko, Viktor Tomilov (both – Ufa).

December 24, 2015. Traktor Arena, Chelyabinsk, Russia. Attendance – 7000.