Edging out, pt. 2

A couple of KHL debuts took place in this one as Danil Mamayev replaced Nikolay Glukhov in the fourth D pair, and Artyom Sevankayev took Michal Birner’s spot in the second attacking line.

The game began with a stiff hit delivered by Yakov Seleznyov to Alexander Sharov that prompted the officials to eject Yugra goaltender. Unfortunately, Traktor once again was unable to convert a power play. However, the black-and-white opened the score when in full strength at the hands of Alexander Chernikov. Things got even more interesting when Ankudinov got a rebound after a shot by Radulov Jr. (Igor Radulov, that is) and beat Demchenko from close range. The aforementioned Chernikov could have pulled Traktor ahead once again in a two-on-one spot, but missed the corner by an inch.

Yugra kicked it up a notch early in the second, but all of their attempts were futile as Demchenko was impeccable in between the pipes. The third twenty was a rather even affair, and the game rolled into the overtime and, eventually, into the penalty shootouts. Yugra eked out a win due to two penalty shots scored by an up-and-coming Pavel Varfolomeyev who, if he keeps up the pace, might continue the season someplace else. As far as the black-and-white are concerned, they return to Chelyabinsk to start a long home series against Jokerit.

Game details

YUGRA vs. TRAKTOR – 2:1 SO (1:1, 0:0, 0:0, 0:0, 1:0)
Goals: Chernikov (Petrov), 8 (0:1); Ankudinov (Radulov, Shulakov), 8 (1:1); Varfolomeyev, 65 (2:1) – game-winning penalty shot.

Postgame shootouts: Varfolomeyev – 1:0, Mirnov – 1:1, Panov – 1:1 (denied by goalie), Yakutsenya – 1:1 (denied by goalie), Kuryanov – 1:1 (denied by goalie), Yuri Petrov – 1:1 (denied by goalie) / Mirnov – 1:1 (denied by goalie), Varfolomeyev – 2:1.

YUGRA
Sharychenkov;
Valentenko – Zheldakov, Panov – Kuryanov – Bortnikov;
Pogorishny – Seleznyov, Varfolomeyev – Gorbunov – Lapenkov;
Ugolnikov – Shulakov, Medvedev – Mayorov – Kozhevnikov;
Akmaldinov, Ankudinov – Khlystov – Igor Radulov.

TRAKTOR
Demchenko;
Koltsov – Belov, Kruchinin – Szczechura – Yakutsenya;
Alexey Petrov – Borodkin, Sevankayev – Sharov – Mirnov;
Shinin – Klimontov, Afonasyevsky – Penkovsky – Sholokhov;
Mamayev – Zhuldikov, Chernikov – Pestunov – Yuri Petrov.

Shots on goal: 33 (12+13+7+1) – 28 (12+3+8+5).
Faceoffs won: 22 (7+6+5+4) – 29 (8+10+10+1).
Shots blocked: 18 (3+8+7+0) – 6 (2+1+1+2).
Hits: 19 (8+4+6+1) – 3 (1+2+0+0).
PIM: 29 (27+0+2+0) – 4 (0+4+0+0).
TOI: Ugolnikov (27:30), Zheldakov (26:52), Valentenko (26:02) – Kruchinin (24:35), Yakutsenya (23:51), Koltsov (23:47).

Referees: Vladimir Baluska, Roman Shchenev.
Linesmen: Alexey Mikhel, Yevgeny Streltsov.

September 3, 2016. Yugra Arena, Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia. Attendance – 2750.